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The Atlee Raiders score three runs in the first inning then hold on to complete a 3-2 victory over the Grafton Clippers on Monday night.

The Raiders (7-5) jumped on Grafton starter Trey Gibson in the first, with lead-off hitter Tucker Bratton drawing a leadoff walk and promptly stealing second. Second hitter Eric Haynes would then reach base on a drag bunt base hit, moving Bratton to third. Hayes would steal second the next hitter and the catchers throw would go to centerfield, scoring Bratton and advancing Haynes to third. Haynes would then score on an RBI groundout from Tyler Warren giving Atlee a quick 2-0 lead. The raiders would tack on their third run of the inning when JT Fitzpatrick hit an RBI triple, scoring Zack Beach (2019, Coastal Carolina) from first base who reached on an error.

Cobb would then settle down in the game after the first, keeping the Raiders off the scoreboard through four innings of play. The physical 2020 used a steady mix of fastball and breaking ball mix to silent the Atlee offense down, giving the Clippers an opportunity for a comeback.

That comeback was a tough one, as Raiders starting pitcher John Kish (2018, JMU) was very strong in his start. Kish scattered three hits over his five innings of work, utilizing his lively fastball with later action on the pitch. Grafton began to threaten later in the game in the fourth and fifth innings loading the bases and sending runners to second and third, but Kish got out of both jams.

Grafton finally got on the scoreboard in the sixth inning after Gibson led the inning off with a single up the middle. That would end Kish's day on the mound and the Raiders would go to the bullpen. With two outs and runners at second and third, Joey Majewicz drew a walk to load the bases and then Ryan Holloway would draw another walk to score Gibson. An infield popout would end the inning again with runners in scoring position.

The bottom of the seventh Grafton would again load the bases with two outs via the base on balls. Their second run of the game came on another walk, scoring Zachary Wojnarowski and putting the tying run at third and go-ahead run at second. Atlee would go to Ryan Mabry to come to the mound to face Majewicz. Majewicz hit a high chopper at the shortstop that had trouble written all over it, but Fitzpatrick, playing third base, made a great read cutting the ball off and picking the short-hop then threw a dart to first to beat Majewicz by a hair and end the ball game.
Kish would end up going five innings for the Raiders with the line of: 3H, 1R, 8K, and 3 BB. Warren led the Raiders going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Fitzpatrick, Bratton, Haynes, and Adam Jewell each had a hit apiece for Atlee.

Gibson took the loss for the Clippers with a line of: 4 IP, 5 H, 3R (1ER), 5 K, and 1BB. Majewicz pitched excellent in relief, striking out five in his hitless two-innings of work. Tyler Cotton led the Grafton offense, going 1-for-1 with two walks. Gibson, Wojnarowski, and Brayden Hodges each had a hit apiece