The Thunder offense came alive, and the pitching was lights out Thursday afternoon in the series finale with West Virginia as Trenton earned their 13th victory by a final of 9-1. Oklahoma State product Evan O’Toole set the tone tossing a season high five innings of one hit, shutout baseball. O’Toole struck out four batters and walked just one before leaving the game with a 5-0 lead.
Trenton struck first in their half of the first when Colton Becker hit a double off the left-field wall that plated Nathan Archer. Becker then came around to score on a John Taylor single into right to make it a 2-0 Thunder lead. After a three run first inning, the offense picked back up in the fourth as the bats worked four walks in the inning and were able to push two runs across to extend their lead to five.
Top Japanese prospect, Rintaro Sasaki, made it a 6-0 game in the sixth on a sac-fly to left that scored Archer. The All-Time High School home run record holder finished his final game at Trenton Thunder Ballpark 1-4 with an RBI, expanding his team lead to 16 on the first half season. Yardley native Justin Fogel knocked in his first RBI of the season on a single in the eighth inning that scored Becker. The Memphis commit is off to a hot start to his season going 4-6 at the plate with a walk.
The Thunder pitching was lights out in the victory after getting another quality start. The bullpen combined for four strikeouts in four innings while only allowing one run. Jackson Balzan continued his dominance out of the pen with a scoreless sixth inning that lowered his ERA to 1.06. Earning two K’s in in his one inning of work in the seventh was Villanova product and second-year man, Cade Udell. Righthander Channing Austin came in for the
final two innings, striking out one and allowing one run.
Your Thunder head on the road for a five-game road trip with Williamsport and State College before the All-Star Break. They return home on July 18th for a four-game series and a rematch with West Virginia.
Come out to Trenton Thunder Ballpark on July 18th at 7:00 for Irish Heritage Night presented by Case’s Pork Roll and Postgame Fireworks! For Tickets and more information, visit trentonthunder.com/tickets
