Grays to Test Mettle in Gettysburg This Weekend

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – This Saturday and Sunday (July 17 & 18), Providence will return to the celebrated Gettysburg National 19c Base Ball Festival in Pennsylvania for four games at the historic Schroeder Farm, facing off on Saturday with the Bear Clan BBC of Flat Rock, Michigan, as well as the Addison Mountain Stars of PA. Then, on Sunday, the Grays will see action against the Lewes BBC of Delaware and finish the weekend with a match against the Canton Cornshuckers of Michigan. Providence will help commemorate more than a decade of historic base ball at what has become one of the premier festivals in the country.

Despite the cancellation of Base Ball on the Beach in Hull last Saturday, the Grays are ready for action and will look for wins in the green pastures of PA, with a goal of pulling even on the season with four victories this weekend. Providence played .500 ball the last half of June, sweeping the Red Onion in Wethersfield, CT, in an ‘84/’64 doubleheader on June 13, then falling twice in the ‘65/’64 twin bill on the Bristol Common against Lisbon on June 19.

Wethersfield Cove Recap (Providence vs. Red Onion, June 13)

The Grays traveled to the Nutmeg State in mid-June and left with a sweep on the day, taking both matches from the Red Onion squad at the Cove. In the 1884 opener, Providence jumped out to a quick lead, plating five runs in the first inning while holding Connecticut scoreless. Behind the stellar pitching performance of Kai Henson, the Grays’ defense played well throughout the match, holding the Onion to eight runs total while building a 9-0 advantage after three innings. Providence’s first four batters of the match reached base and scored, and they kept rolling from there. Connecticut plated all their runs in the final two innings but could not climb all the way back, as the Grays took an 18-9 triumph in game one.

Game two was a closer affair as the Grays found themselves ahead 3-2 after the opening frame. Providence’s offense maintained its scoring pace and extended the lead to 6-2 at the end of the third. The fourth inning saw scoring outbursts on both sides, however, as the Red Onion tallied six runs in their highest-scoring frame of the day. Providence plated four of their own, highlighted by a two-run home run off the bat of Aidan Pirruccello-McClellan for a 10-8 edge. The Grays held their opponent to one run for the remainder of the game and added eight more scores over the final four innings, leading to another 18-9 win and a sweep of the day.

Bristol Town Common Recap (Providence vs. Lisbon, June 19)

Providence struck first in the opening match, clinging to a 1-0 lead after two innings. Lisbon caught fire in their next two plate appearances, scoring 11 runs across the third and fourth to take control. The Tunnelmen’s commanding bats did not relent, totaling 29 runs in the match and – despite 15 Providence tallies over the final three innings – took a 29-20 victory to start the day. Game two began with the score knotted at 2-2 after the first and the Grays trailed just 5-4 following the second. Providence took an 8-5 lead after a four-run third, but failed to score for the remainder of the contest as Lisbon continued to strike well and emerged with a 17-8 win.

2021 Gettysburg National 19c Base Ball Festival (July 17 & 18)

The Gettysburg National 19c Base Ball Festival has arisen as the preeminent gathering of historic clubs from throughout the region and beyond. Twenty-four clubs from nine states will compete in the heat and humidity of central Pennsylvania at the Schroeder Family Farm (965 Pumping Station Road, Gettysburg), legendary as a site where Confederate troops were gathered in advance of Pickett’s charge and as a filming location for the movie Gettysburg (1993).

The Providence campaign commences at 10:15 on Saturday morning vs. the Bear Clan from Michigan, followed by a match at noon against the Addison Mountain Stars of PA. The Grays lead off the Sunday schedule in the early slot, facing Lewes at 8 a.m., then conclude the weekend with a final match against Canton starting at 9:45. Follow the weekend action on Facebook and Instagram and check on the team’s progress as the season continues at ProvidenceGrays.com.