(Trenton, NJ) – Your Trenton Thunder got back above .500 on the season after gutting out a close 5-4 victory over the State College Spikes on Thursday night in Trenton. Winning their third straight game, the Thunder got another strong five innings from their starter Lorenzo Petersen. The Grambling State product scattered four hits, struck out four, and allowed only two runs before exiting after the fifth in a one run game.

The Thunder bats struck first in their half of the first inning when Kolby Johnson led off the night with a solo home run. Johnson’s fourth long-ball of the season gave the Thunder a 1-0 advantage, but the bats weren’t done there. Trenton tallied on one a piece in innings two and three to grow their lead to 3-0. After a Max Giordano double (4) in the second, catcher Craig Corliss delivered on a two-out RBI-single that score Giordano. In the third, Johnson beat out a chopper hit to second for a lead-off single and proceeded to steal second base (9) to put a man in scoring position with one out. Johnson would come around to score the third Thunder run on a wild pitch.
The Spikes wouldn’t go down quietly in this one, as they managed to tie the game at three after putting up two in the fifth and one
in the sixth. Trenton showed great resilience by getting the run right back in their half of the sixth, when Giordano scored on an
error to short off the bat of Christian Merriwether. The Spikes were able to cut it to a one run game in the top of the eighth on a solo
homerun from Carlos Contreras (1) that made it 5-4.
Picking up the win out of the bullpen was righty Enrique Ozoa who tossed two innings allowing just one run and striking out two.
Ozoa earned his first win of the season and lowered his ERA to 3.07 on the season. Getting the save in the ninth was Seton Hall
product Brennan O’Neil who got all three outs in the ninth via the strikeout. O’Neil had his fastball working to his advantage,
touching 94 on the gun multiple times in the final inning.
Your First Half Champion Thunder open a three-game series with the Frederick Keys on Friday August 18 th at 7:00 PM. Come out to
Trenton Thunder Ballpark for NJ Lottery Instant Lottery Tickets and Italian Heritage Night presented by NJ Lottery! To purchase
tickets, call (609)-394-3300, Opt 4 or visit trentonthunder.com.