TRENTON, NJ – The Frederick Keys suffered a walk-off loss Friday night against the Trenton Thunder on Independence Day, falling by a score of 5-4 at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.
The Keys and Thunder traded zeros for most of the night, but a three-run bottom of the ninth won it for the Thunder, as the Keys turn the page to a two-game series against Mahoning Valley beginning on Saturday night.
On the second pitch of the game, Trey Lipsey (Ohio State) hit a solo homer to right, giving the Keys an early 1-0 lead through an inning of play on Independence Day.
After each side went scoreless in the second, the Thunder took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third courtesy of a Frederick error and a bases loaded walk, handing the home team their first lead of the night down by one in the second game of the series going into the fourth.
Following a scoreless fourth inning for both sides, Cooper Robinson (Kentucky) recorded two strikeouts in the bottom of the fifth, keeping it a one-run ballgame entering the sixth at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.
The game advanced into the seventh with the score remaining 2-1 after both teams went off the board once again, with Robinson finishing his outing strong in relief with his third scoreless frame of relief.
After Kade Woods (LSU) recorded a scoreless inning of relief of his own in the bottom of the seventh to keep the score at 2-1, Declan Lavelle (Elon) followed it up with a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth, taking the contest to the ninth with Frederick looking for a late rally down by one.
A wild pitch brought home Trey Lipsey (Ohio State) from third to tie the game at two, and an RBI groundout from Taj Bates (Southern) along with an RBI single from Walter Urbon (Loyola HS) handed Frederick the lead by two at 4-2 entering the bottom of the ninth.
However, the Thunder scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth with the two winning runs coming in on a two-RBI single, handing the Thunder the come-from-behind win Friday night by a score of 5-4 at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.
The Keys continue the three-game road trip Saturday night against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. at Eastwood Field in Niles, Ohio.
