McLEAN, VA-- The Vienna Senators got back on the winning track with a 10-4 victory over the Reston Hawks Saturday night at McLean High School. The Senators beat up the Hawks pitching staff for 17 hits while they scored in doubled digits for the first time since June 27. Greg Holland and Will Naylor combined to stifle the Hawks offensively as the Senators moved to 20-5 on the season and 3-2 in the second half.
The Senators started the scoring in the third inning. Michael Rivera started the rally with a single. He advanced to second when Donald Brown drew a walk. Guillermo Martinez then singled to give drive in Rivera and give the Senators a 1-0 lead.
The Senators were able to score four more runs in the sixth inning with an exciting two out rally. Brown singled to start the inning. Two batters later, Justin Bunkis grounded into a fielder’s choice and the Hawks got Brown at second. The Hawks’ second baseman tried to turn a double play and get Bunkis at first, but overthrew the first baseman and allowed Bunkis to advance to second on the play. Bunkis then scored when AJ Lamonda singled into center field. Bunkis’ run made the score 2-0. Lamonda proceeded to steal second and put himself into scoring position. After Tim Guidry drew a walk, Wes Schirtzinger singled to drive in Lamonda and make the score 3-0. Andrew Fritz followed with a single to drive in Kevin Hansen, who was pinch running for Guidry, to make the score 4-0. With Schirtzinger on third base, pinch hitter Brandon Daguio singled up the middle to drive him in and make the score 5-0 after six innings.
The Senators scored another run in the seventh when Martinez drove in Brown with a sacrifice fly ball to make the score 6-0. Brown had reached base with a perfectly placed double down the third base line. He advanced to third on a passed ball.
Reston was able to start a rally in the seventh inning. Mike Bianucci scored when Louis Ulrich singled into centerfield tom make the score 6-1. A couple of batters later, Steve Todd scored on an Andrew Winslow single to make the score 6-2. With two men on, the Reston right fielder tripled down the right field line to make the score 6-4 after seven innings.
When the Hawks got back into the game, the Senators responded. Leighton Autrey started off the eighth inning with a single up the middle. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Fritz. Autrey then advanced to third base on a passed ball. After Daguio drew a walk to reach first, Brown double to drive in both Autrey and Daguio and make the score 8-4. Two batters later, Bunkis singled to drive in Brown and make the score 9-4.
The Senators scored one more run in the ninth inning when Rivera singled to drive in Hansen and make the score 10-4. Greg Holland got the win for the Senators while Will Naylor was magnificent in a two and one third innings of relief. Lamonda led the way offensively with four hits while Brown and Rivera each chipped in three. The Senators are in Herndon Sunday for a doubleheader with the Braves. A sweep would tie the Senators with the Braves for the second half lead. The first game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.