Frederick, MD- The Frederick Keys earned a series opening win Monday night over the State College Spikes, defeating them by a score of 5-3 at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
The Keys led from the second inning on and used a three-run bottom of the second to take an early lead, which they never looked back from enroute to the victory Monday night.
Gage Bihm started his night off strong on the mound with a scoreless top of the first, keeping it a 0-0 game heading into the second in the Key City.
The bottom of the second featured a three-run frame, after an RBI sacrifice fly from Damone Hale (New Mexico St) and RBI hits from Tremayne Cobb Jr. (Troy), and Brody Fahr (Presbyterian) gave the home team the early 3-0 advantage going into the third.
The Spikes got one run back in the top of the fourth following a scoreless third for both teams, but Jake Curtis (Memphis) finished the frame strong by allowing just the one run, keeping his team ahead by two entering the fifth.
Fahr brought home his second RBI in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI sacrifice fly, making it a three-run game at 4-1 heading into the sixth, with the Keys now back up to their largest lead of the night at three.
Ga’Von Wray (Georgia Southern) recorded a 1-2-3 top of the sixth on the hill to keep it a three-run game heading into the eighth, as both teams went scoreless in the seventh with the score still at 4-1 through seven innings.
State College cut the deficit to one in the top of the eighth on two RBI singles, but Jay Allmer (Seton Hall) recorded the last out to escape the jam, as the Keys remained up by one entering the bottom of the eighth Monday night.
A third run scoring play from Fahr put the lead back up to two for the Keys approaching the ninth, as Allmer returned to the mound for the ninth inning looking to finish the job for Frederick in the finale inning.
Allmer did in fact finish the job on the mound after retiring the Spikes in order in the ninth, securing the series opening win for his team Monday night by a score of 5-3.
The Keys and Spikes face off for game two of the three-game series Tuesday night with first pitch from Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium set for 7 p.m.
Tuesday’s game represents the second Intern Takeover Day of the season, meaning that the interns came up with the theme and promotions surrounding the game. It will be Country Night at the ballpark with there being a mechanical bull in attendance and other promotions related to the country theme.
