Thunderbolts Rally Past Alexandria Aces in Fifth Inning for Tight 3–2 Victory At Blair
FOUR CORNERS, MD — A three-run fifth inning lifted the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts to a 3–2 comeback win over the Alexandria Aces on Monday night at Blair Stadium in Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League play.
The tightly contested matchup featured strong pitching on both sides, with neither team breaking through until the middle innings.
Aces starter A.J. Murray (Bucknell) was solid through four scoreless frames, allowing just one hit while striking out three and walking two. Meanwhile, T-Bolts starter Gabe Wheeler (Tampa) kept Alexandria off the scoreboard as well, surrendering three hits over four innings and striking out one.
Alexandria struck first in the top of the fifth. After a walk to Derek Almeda (Chaffey College) and a hit-by-pitch to Diego Pena (Western Michigan), designated hitter Gavin Miller (Pittsburgh) drew one of his three walks on the night to load the bases. First baseman Jovan Gill (Grand Valley State) then delivered a two-run single, giving the Aces a 2–0 lead.
But the Thunderbolts responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Ayden Alexander (George Washington), who relieved Murray, ran into trouble after a single and two walks loaded the bases. Thunderbolts right fielder Matthew Walters (Cornell) knocked in a run with a single, and a fielder’s choice by third baseman Bryce Curry (Hofstra) brought home the tying run. A wild pitch later in the inning allowed the go-ahead run to score, putting Silver Spring-Takoma up 3–2.
That would prove to be all the offense the Thunderbolts needed. Alexandria managed just one baserunner over the final four innings, as the Thunderbolts’ bullpen locked down the lead.
Braden Fetherolf (Clarion – 1-0) earned the win with 2.1 innings of hitless relief, and Nicky Keane (Eastern Michigan) closed the door with a two-inning save, striking out four. Alexander (0-1) took the loss for Alexandria after allowing all three Thunderbolts runs in the fifth.
The Aces (2-3) were limited to four hits, including one apiece from Almeda, Toby Hueber (Pittsburgh), Gill, and Michael Powell (Pennsylvania). Almeda also stole two bases.
The Thunderbolts (3-2) collected six hits, led by Nolan Kutney’s (UMBC) two-hit performance. Walters, Curry, and Curry’s fielder’s choice accounted for the RBIs.
Both teams turned in strong defensive efforts, with the Thunderbolts turning three double plays and playing error-free baseball.
Despite being outhit 6–4, Alexandria threatened throughout, drawing six walks and stranding seven runners. The Aces also turned two double plays defensively and got four strikeouts from reliever Aden Longoria (South Florida) across two innings of clean relief.
Longoria took home the league’s Week 1 Pitcher of the Week honors, where he pitched five shutout innings out of the bullpen in his lone appearance (June 4 vs. Silver Spring-Takoma), striking out 11 while allowing no hits or walks.
The game lasted a lightning quick (pun intended) 2 hours and 16 minutes, drawing 157 fans under mostly cloudy skies, 78-degree weather at Blair.
The Aces stay on the road this evening looking to even their record in Gaithersburg as they continue the early season stretch of the CRSCBL summer slate. The game against the Giants (1-4) begins at 7 p.m. at Criswell Automotive Field at Kelley Park in Gaithersburg. Probable pitchers for tonight’s game are Aces’ Tomas Cestero (Seton Hall) and Giants’ Nicholas Karls (Towson).
The Aces return home to Frank Mann Field for a key league matchup against league rival Bethesda Big Train (3-3) tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m., marking their first meeting this season. On Thursday, the Southern Maryland Senators (5-1) visit Frank Mann Field with a game time at 6:30 p.m.
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online at www.alexandriaaces.org and arrive early to enjoy the game-day atmosphere of exciting collegiate wooden-bat baseball in Alexandria. Parking remains free around Frank Mann Field, with a reminder to avoid foul ball zones for safety.
The Alexandria Aces, established in 2008, are a proud member of the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League (www.calripkenleague.org) based in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. metro area.
