(Trenton, NJ) – The First Half Champions of the Draft League, Your Trenton Thunder, earned their 19th win of the first half with a walk-off against the Frederick Keys on Independence Day. Trenton got the post-game fireworks started early off the bat of Socrates Bardatsos in the bottom of the seventh for the Thunder’s second walk-off win of the year.
Following a near 90-minute weather delay, action resumed in the top of the fifth inning with a runner on first for Frederick, and the Keys leading 2-0. In another tight game the Thunder bullpen continued to keep them alive by stranding runners in key situations. Brenton Fisher worked out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth following consecutive batters reaching when play resumed. J.D Ogden followed suit in the sixth to keep it a 2-0 game.
Your Thunder got on the board in their half of the fifth inning, when Chase Engelhard legged out an infield single and later scored on a Nathan Cmeyla groundout. Trenton would go scoreless in the sixth but rode the momentum of right-handed reliever Peter Gallo striking out the side. The Saint Joe’s product struck out two batters on fastballs of 96 and 97 MPH.
In the bottom of the seventh, Clemson commit Alden Mathes got the party started with an opposite field double down the left-field line, representing the tying run. The next batter in Jacob Hinderleider reached on an error at third to put two on with no one out. Trenton would capitalize on another error to tie the game on a ground ball to second off the bat of Chase Engelhard. The Keys retired the lead runner in Hinderleider, but the return throw skipped and bounced over the first basemen and out of play to score Mathes, knotting the game at two.
With Engelhard now on second representing the winning run, Socrates Bardatsos delivered on the first pitch with a single to center to walk it off for the Thunder. With the game winning hit Bardatsos took home Hyatt Regency Princeton Thunder Player of The Game honors. The First Half Champs ended the month of June and kicked off July by winning 10 of their last 11 games. They earn themselves a spot in the Draft League Championship Game on September 3rd at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.
Your First Half Champion Thunder improved to 18-7 on the year before heading into the mid-way break. The Thunder continue the second half of their season on Friday, July 7th at 7:00 as they open a three-game series with the West Virginia Black Bears. Come out to Trenton Thunder Ballpark for Hawaiian Shirt Giveaway to the first 1,030 fans 18+ & Hawaiian Friday presented by Liberty Coke! To purchase tickets, call (609)-394-3300, Opt 4 or visit trentonthunder.com.
