The Nation magazine tonight won an unprecedented come-from-behind victory, rallying from two runs down in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat D.C Comics, 12-11. The thrilling victory came after ten-plus years of twice-a-season, often brutal defeats at the hands of D.C. Comics, a publishing league juggernaut known for their offense. The Nationistas are now 4-2 on the season.
Playing before a crowd of dozens at Lower Manhattan’s Murry Bergtraum Field, The Nation jumped out to an early 9-4 lead. Circulation Fulfillment Manager/left-center fielder Katelyn Belyus had three hits for The Nation, who went ahead early with a 4-run fourth keyed by leadoff hitter and Intern Director Max Fraser. The Nation took a four-run lead into the top of the seventh, when four two-out runs by D.C. Comics sent the game into extra innings.
In extra innings The Nation’s defense kept it close: a dramatic diving catch by Left Fielder and Nation Contributor Ari Berman (author of the forthcoming book Herding Donkeys) helped keep the game tied in the eighth. Pitcher and and Vice-President of Advertising Ellen Bollinger pitched a complete game for The Nation on a humid summer night, holding D.C. Comics to five earned runs and baffling the Comics squad. Shortstop and Lapham’s Quarterly contributor Elias Altman added two sac flies for The Nationistas.
Trailing 11-9 in the bottom of the ninth, The Nation stormed back with a series of singles until a dramatic one-out, two-run double from Nationistas Coach John Bollinger sent America’s oldest news weekly to their first walk-off victory since the Clinton administration.
"We left blood on the field tonight" said Bollinger, in a post-game speech to the team. The Nation now has wins over The New Yorker, Pro Publica and The Scientific American. The Nation plays The Paris Review on Friday, in a rematch of last summer’s heated two-run Paris Review victory. New York–based Nation fans can come out for Friday’s game, or for The Nation’s remaining grudge matches against The New Yorker and Harper’s—follow @thenation on twitter for details.
