FREDERICK, MD – The Frederick Keys fell in the first of two games to the Trenton Thunder Thursday night, losing by a score of 15-10 at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
Despite leading by 10 after three innings of play, the Thunder came back and took their first lead of the game in the top of the ninth, stealing the series opening win on the road in the Key City.
Alton Davis (Georgia) struck out the side to start out the night in the top of the first, setting the stage for a five-run bottom of the frame for the Frederick offense.
The inning started with a two-RBI double from Dawson Willis (Oklahoma), followed by an RBI single from Truitt Madonna (Ballard High School), making it 3-0 in favor of the Keys early.
Anthony Diaz (College of Central Florida) kept the rally going with an RBI single and an RBI groundout from Caden Merritt (Gainesville High School), giving the home team a 5-0 lead through an inning of play at Nymeo Field.
After both teams went scoreless in the second, Merritt hit an RBI double to right to bring home Diaz from third, and then an RBI single from Trey Lipsey (Ohio State) and a three-run homer from Sam Parker (Chipola College) increased the advantage to 10-0 heading into the fourth Thursday night.
The Thunder responded with a five-run top of the fourth courtesy of a bases clearing three-RBI double and several Keys errors, cutting the deficit to five entering the fifth in the Key City.
A wild pitch made it a 10-6 game in the top of the fifth, keeping the Thunder in it down by four going into the sixth in Frederick.
Trenton answered with one more run in the top of the sixth, trimming the deficit to just three entering the seventh, with Frederick only up by three.
A solo homer for the Thunder made it a 10-8 game in the top of the seventh, but Nico Wagner (West Valley College) allowing the visitors to stay in it approaching the eighth in the first of two games.
The Thunder tied the game with two runs in the top of the eighth on a two-RBI sacrifice fly, taking the contest into the ninth with the game all tied at 10 apiece at Nymeo Field.
An error in right field gave the Thunder their first lead at 11-10 and after several errors as well as a bases loaded walk, Trenton stormed back to lead 15-10, with the Keys looking for one more late rally.
The Keys however went scoreless in the bottom of the ninth, as Trenton finished the comeback by winning 15-10 Thursday night in the Key City.
The Keys travel to the Garden State to take on the Thunder in the second game of the home-and-home series Friday night, with first pitch from Trenton Thunder Ballpark set for 6 p.m.
