Your Trenton Thunder, presented by NJM Insurance Group, started off the 2024 season on the right foot as they earned a hard fought 8-7 walk-off win over the State College Spikes. Infront of a crowd of 6,000 plus, the Thunder sent their fans home happy after a near four-hour contest that had its fair share of offense.
The Thunder struck first in their half of the first when they pushed five runs across. The offense got going when Catcher Jake Bennett plated the first run with an RBI single. Trenton’s lead would grow after a bases loaded walk issued to Brendan Lawson and a sac-fly from Tulane commit Tanner Chun. Two more runs came across on one swing from Utah product Landon Frei, after he sent a single into center field that brought home AJ Vigliotti and Lawson to make it 5-0 after one.
State College would not go away however as they responded with a four-run top of the second inning to make it a one run deficit. The Spikes weren’t finished there as they found themselves infront 7-5 after a 2-RBI single from Treyson Hughes.
Trenton showed resiliency all night, especially in the 5th when they would get one run back on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Frei, plating Vigliotti to make it a one run game. In the 6th the Thunder got one more across to tie the game at 7 on another fielder’s choice off the bat of Bennett.
The Thunder Bullpen came up huge in the late innings as Ethan Bradford (Kansas) and Brenton Fisher stranded a pair of runners in each of the 8th and 9th innings to keep it a 7-7 game. Fisher would earn the win after pitching a scoreless top of the ninth.
Hyatt Regency Princeton Thunder Player of The Game Ryan Picollo made his presence felt by throwing out Tyson Bass at home in the top of the 7th to keep it at a 7-7 game. Picollo would play the role of hero more than once when he came up in the ninth inning with two aboard and two down. After a Chris Reeder single and a Jackson Strong walk, Picollo stepped to the plate and delivered an RBI single plating the Allentown native in Reeder for a 8-7 victory on Opening Night.
Catch your Trenton Thunder back in action Wednesday night as they go for their first series win of the season against State College. Trenton will turn to Texas A&M commit Bryce Navarre who gets the nod on the mound tomorrow night. Come out to Trenton Thunder Ballpark for the 2024 Magnetic Schedule giveaway to the first 2,530 fans presented by Mercer County Improvement Authority. For Tickets and more information, visit trenthonthunder.com/tickets
##
About Trenton Thunder Baseball
The Trenton Thunder have drawn over 10.7 million fans over 30 years and have won the three major awards that Minor League Baseball teams can win: the Johnson Trophy for the "Nation's Best Franchise", the Larry MacPhail Trophy for Outstanding Club Promotion, and the Bob Frietas Award for Long-Term Success (Given by Baseball America). The team has given back over $8.5 million worth of goods, services, and monetary donations through Trenton Thunder Charities, under the Grand Slam We Care Foundation umbrella. The Thunder can be found online at trentonthunder.com.
