FREDERICK, MD - The Frederick Keys dropped the series finale to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers Sunday afternoon, losing by a score of 7-4 at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
Despite the Keys getting a late run in the eighth, the Scrappers held on for the series sweep in Frederick, as the Keys look ahead to a six-game road trip starting on Tuesday against the Williamsport Crosscutters.
Even with Mahoning Valley scoring two runs in the top of the first to take an early lead, an RBI single from Sam Parker (Chipola College) and an error by Mahoning Valley tied the score of 2-2 midway through the frame.
An RBI single from Taj Bates (Southern) gave the Keys a 3-2 lead through an inning of play, as the two-out rally got the home crowd on its feet at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
Following a scoreless second inning for both sides, the Scrappers tied it up in the top of the third on an RBI single, but the Frederick defense forced a double play to keep it a tie game entering the fourth at 3-3.
Mahoning Valley retook the lead on an RBI sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth, and the contest went into the fifth with the visitors ahead 4-3 in the series finale.
Chieh-Han Huang (Taiwan College) recorded a 1-2-3 top of the fifth on the mound, allowing his team to stay down by only one run going into the sixth, with the Scrappers still leading 4-3.
The Scrappers added three runs to their total in the top of the sixth on three RBIs, extending the lead to four at 7-3 entering the seventh in the Key City.
After Dax Dathe (Angelo St) recorded a 1-2-3 top of the seventh on the mound to keep it a four-run game approaching the eighth, with Frederick still fighting in the series finale on Sunday afternoon.
The Keys scored one run in the bottom of the eighth courtesy off an RBI single from Bruin Agbayani (St. Louis School), cutting the deficit to 7-4 going into the ninth at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
However, the Keys did not score in the bottom in the ninth as Frederick suffered the series finale loss by a score of 7-4 on Father’s Day.
The Keys head on the road for a six-game road trip starting on Tuesday against the Williamsport Crosscutters, with first pitch on Tuesday night set for 6:35 p.m. at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.
