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U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis of downstate Taylorville returned to the baseball field Thursday with his Republican teammates, one day after he stood at the plate as a gunman opened fire during a practice session.

Davis and some of his teammates wore Louisiana State University caps or jerseys for the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity in tribute to their colleague from Louisiana, House Whip Steve Scalise, who was seriously wounded in Wednesday’s shooting. LSU is Scalise’s alma mater.

Davis, his team’s starting catcher, suffered cuts to his left elbow when he fled from the shooter.

“D.C. experienced a tragedy yesterday, and many of us unfortunately had to witness it,” he said before Thursday’s game. “But this country coming together in the wake of that tragedy proves that bipartisanship actually exists. I just can’t say thank you, thank you to this great country.”

The shooting left four others injured. The only fatality was the gunman, James Hodgkinson, 66, of Belleville, Ill., who was shot by Capitol Hill police officers who were at the Virginia ball field to protect Scalise because of his leadership post.

The game drew an estimated attendance of 22,000, according to a National Parks official, and more than 60 members of Congress, with an all-male lineup on the GOP side and some women and men on the Democratic team. The crowd shouted “Steve Scalise” and “USA, USA” before a moment of silence for the victims and the national anthem.

The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by wounded Capitol Police Officer David Bailey, to a standing ovation.

Davis hit a grounder to center field in his first at bat, but was left stranded on third base as the GOP failed to drive him home in the second inning.

The congressional baseball game dates to 1909, and its venue in recent years has been the modern stadium that is home to the Washington Nationals.

Scalise’s roommate is Illinois Rep. John Shimkus of Collinsville, a right-handed relief pitcher who’s played in the congressional game since he entered the House 20 years ago. Shimkus was not at Wednesday’s practice.

Scalise supported the team decision to play its scheduled game against the Democrats, said Shimkus spokesman Jordan Haverly.

“He was very adamant,” Haverly said. “He doesn’t think that a tragic event like happened yesterday should get in the way of a good event like a congressional baseball game for a good cause.”

Shimkus “is expecting it to be more subdued, without some of the chiding and trash talking that went on — in good fun — in these games in previous years,” Haverly said.

Rep. Darin LaHood’s name appears on this year’s GOP team roster, but the Peoria lawmaker ended up sitting out the game. He said Thursday that he practiced at least 15 times last year with fellow Republicans at the Alexandria park and played as a right fielder in 2016 congressional game. But this year, 8 a.m. committee meetings have kept him from practice, he said.

LaHood, who planned to attend part of Thursday’s game, was told by the House sergeant-at-arms that Hodgkinson in April posted to his Facebook account LaHood’s picture and details about a town hall the lawmaker held in Washington, Ill. The town hall drew about 850 people, LaHood said.

“It’s alarming that somebody who is politically motivated is targeting Republican members of Congress at 7 in the morning,” he said. “That’s disturbing to anyone in public office.”

Talking before the game, LaHood said since the tragedy, ticket sales “have been through the roof” and new charitable donations have poured in. He predicted the game would raise more than $1 million for charity.

Next Wednesday, the women’s congressional softball team has its annual game. Going ahead with both the men’s and women’s games “shows we have tremendous resolve in this country, and that when somebody’s trying to perpetuate violence and do horrible things, we’re going to rise above it and we’re going to go on with the game,” said Rep. Cheri Bustos, a Democrat from Moline.

Rep. Brad Schneider, a Democrat from Deerfield, said as a “show of unity,” he would sit with Rep. Claudia Tenney, a Republican from upstate New York for the game.

“Now more than ever, it is important for members of Congress to lead by example and show the American people that regardless of party affiliation or political differences, we are united by our shared love of country and enduring commitment to public service,” Schneider said.

kskiba@chicagotribune.com