FREDERICK, MD – The Frederick Keys fell in the first game of a seven-game homestand to the Trenton Thunder Thursday night, losing by a score of 9-5 at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
The Thunder took a 7-1 lead throughout the first half of the contest and never looked back, as the Keys could not pull off a late comeback at Nymeo Field during the first of two straight games against Trenton.
Trenton plated home the game’s first run on an RBI double in the top of the first, handing the visitors an early 1-0 lead through one inning in the series opener.
An RBI groundout by the Thunder increased their advantage to 2-0 heading into the third, with the Keys still in search of their first run on a cool Thursday night in the Key City.
After both sides went scoreless in the third, the Thunder scored two more runs on a two-RBI double in the top of the fourth, but Bronson Rivera (Hawai’i Pacific) gave the Keys their first run on a bases-loaded walk, making it a 4-1 game entering the fifth at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
Two more RBI singles for Trenton gave them a 6-1 lead going into the sixth, as Frederick went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame to keep it a five-run game through five innings.
A solo home run by the Thunder put their advantage up to six at 7-1 in the top of the sixth, but an RBI single from Rivera and an RBI from Bryan Loriga (New Orleans), along with bases loaded walks drawn by Jamal Ritter (Norfolk State) and Cam Hassert (Loyola Marymount) made it a 7-5 game heading into the seventh Thursday night.
However, the visitors added two more runs in the top of the seventh, pushing their lead up to four at 9-5 approaching the eighth, with Frederick in search of a late rally to open the homestand.
Following a scoreless eighth inning for both the Keys and Thunder, Randy Reyes (Grambling State) threw a scoreless top of the ninth in relief, but Frederick could not come up with any runs in the bottom of the frame as the Thunder won the series opener 9-5 in the Key City.
The Keys and Thunder conclude the two-game series Friday night, with first pitch set for 7 p.m. from Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
Friday’s game represents Veteran Appreciation Night with a Platoon 22 Patriotic Hat Auction and a Reversible Maryland Flag Bucket Hat Giveaway courtesy of IBEW 24. There will also be postgame fireworks presented by IBEW 24.
