Written by Erin Hughes

The Alexandria Aces erased a 6-0 deficit to beat the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts 8-7 in 12 innings at Frank Mann Field on Wednesday night.

Aces head coach Chris Berset said, “it’s always tough, but I’m proud of the guys for coming back and fighting. You get down 6-0 early in the game, especially your home opener, you don’t know which way you’re going to go…But again, I’m more proud of the fight that they had to get us back in the game and a chance to win.”

The Thunderbolts struck early against the Aces. Caleb Sturtevant (Millersville) was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, and stole second to get into scoring position. A walk put Aidan Driscoll (Maryland) on before both runners advanced on a passed ball. Sturtevant scored on a fielder’s choice, but Driscoll was stranded after Aces pitcher Tomas Cestero (Seton Hall) was able to catch a guy looking. 

Thunderbolts pitcher Josh Zuckerman (Emory) kept the momentum going as he struck out the side in the bottom of the first.

The second inning was quiet for both teams. Aces shortstop Derek Almeda (Chaffey College) made two quick outs before Cestero tossed a swinging strikeout. In the bottom half of the inning, Almeda walked to become the first base runner for the Aces but did not score.

Driscoll drew a walk to lead off the third inning for the Thunderbolts. A single by Jack McCarthy (Marymount) and Brayden Foster’s (Youngstown State) hit by pitch loaded the bases for the Bolts. The Aces hit two batters in a row, Gabe Ruiz (UMBC) and Bryce Curry (Hofstra), to plate Driscoll and McCarthy. A two-RBI single from Nolan Kutney (UMBC) brought in Curry and Ruiz to give the Thunderbolts a 5-0 lead. 

Zuckerman continued dominating in the bottom of the third, striking out two batters and leaving one stranded. 

In the top of the fourth, Foster scored  for the Thunderbolts on a single by Ruiz. Aces pitcher Cole Gebben (Western Michigan) grabbed a swinging strikeout to end the half inning.

Thunderbolts hurler Zuckerman added another 1-2-3 inning highlighted by his sixth strikeout of the game in the home half of the fourth.

The Aces kept the Thunderbolt bats quiet in the top of the fifth, and in the bottom half were able to break up Zuckerman’s no-hit bid on a single from Cooper Hums (Western Michigan). Although the Aces were unable to capitalize in the fifth, getting the first few hits out of the way proved fruitful.

The Thunderbolts were again silenced in the top of the sixth, as the Aces geared up for a big home half of the inning. Almeda led off the inning with a single before Ernie Echevarria (Penn) got on board on an error. Two quick flyouts for the Thunderbolts looked to end the inning early, but the Aces’ bats continued battling. A bloop single from EJ Hankerson (Maryland) scored Almeda before a double by Hums brought home Echevarria and Hankerson. A Toby Hueber (George Mason) single plated Powell for the Aces’ sixth run of the inning to tie the game. A popup to the shortstop ended the inning, but not before the momentum swung back to the Aces.

In the top of the seventh, the Thunderbolts added another run after Kutney scored on an error by the Aces pitcher. The Aces could not add anything in the bottom half of the inning, so the Thunderbolts continued to lead 7-6.

Adan Longoria (South Florida) came in to pitch for the Aces in the top of the eight and immediately went three up, three down with a swinging strikeout. Powell walked for the Aces in the bottom of the eighth and was subsequently driven in by Hueber to knot the score at seven. Thunderbolts pitcher Hunter Layhew (Frostburg State) struck out two batters to end the inning and prevent any more Aces runs.

Longoria whiffed three straight batters in the top of the ninth to send the Aces bats back out. Gavin Miller (Pitt) dropped in a leadoff single and was pinch run for by Owen Peterson (Navy). Hankerson placed a bunt single to advance Peterson. But two fly outs ended the threat to send the game to extra innings.

Both pitchers continued to dominate as Longoria went nine up, nine down through the 10th, 11th, and 12th innings and Layhew struck out four batters in the 10th and 11th. In the bottom of the 12th, Cameron Elicier (Moravian) came in for the Thunderbolts. Powell led off the inning and got to first on an error. Powell advanced to second on another error, before a bunt single from Almeda drove him in for the winning run, 8-7. 

With his guys down 6-0 in the sixth, Berset said his message to his players was to just relax. Four of the Aces six runs in the inning came with two outs, and Berset said he reminded his guys that they were being “tight and quiet” when they just needed to go out and have fun. 

When asked about Longoria’s dominant performance in late innings, Berset said that his performance was “pretty special."

Box Score