Steve Thomas had three hits and three runs scored in the Thunderbolts' 11-6 win.

Written by Mahaley Wise | Photo by Maya Brichacek

The Thunderbolts and the Senators matched up in Monday night’s game to create an exciting thriller. The Thunderbolts were the ones to come out on top, dominating the Senators in the later innings despite Southern Maryland’s last attempt in the ninth to overcome the damage.

“We had a pretty good talk before the game about our hitting approach…being locked in at the plate and that definitely showed out there today,” Thunderbolts head coach Brock Hunter said.

A home run gave the Senators the first lead of the game in the second inning. Danny Surowiec (Boston College) took a pitch down the middle over the right field wall for the only run of the inning for the Senators. He trotted around the bases with ease, making it home to greet his teammates with a helmet clash high-five. There was more celebration in the dugout with pats on the back and cheering to make it a proper victory salute. 

A streak of four singles in the fourth inning gave the Senators three extra runs and extended their lead. Logan Tribble (Wofford) began with a lead-off single. Steven Kraus (Binghamton) followed with another single to put runners on the corners. Chet Bowling (Winthrop) hit the third single of the inning to bring home Tribble. The fourth and final single of the inning was delivered by Surowiec to load the bases. A fielder’s choice and an error by the second baseman created an opportunity for Krauss and Bowling to score the last two runs of the inning. The Thunderbolts escaped the inning with the Senators leaving one runner on base, but with a 4-0 Southern Maryland lead. 

But, the Thunderbolts stormed back in the fifth, scoring the first four runs to tie with nobody out. In total, the Thunderbolts would walk away with six runs. Jack Hurda (Clarion) and Gabe Ruiz (UMBC) hit back-to-back singles to put a runner in scoring position. An error by the pitcher allowed Hurda to score. Another single struck by Nolan Kutney (UMBC) sent Ruiz and Gill home. Steve Thomas (Catholic) followed with a single to center field to deliver David Vozzo (Morvian College) safely home. Brady Grimes (Millersville) dropped a two-run double in front of the left fielder to give the Thunderbolts the lead , 6-4. 

In the seventh inning the Thunderbolts secured an insurance run. Thomas started the inning with a leadoff double to put a runner in scoring position. Aidan Driscoll (Maryland) drilled a ball into left field for a double bringing Thomas home and tacking on an extra run for the Thunderbolts in their late inning lead, 7-4. 

The Thunderbolts continued to strike hard offensively, plating four more runs in the eighth inning. Back-to-back single by Ruiz and Gill put runners in the corners. Vozzo brought Ruiz in with a hard hit ball to right field. A double by Brayden Foster (Youngstown State) sent two more runners home to make it 11-4. 

“We are just sometimes not looking for the right pitch or reacting to the right pitch…We just wanna be locked in on getting our pitch and not missing it,” Hunter said about his team’s impressive offensive run.

After four scoreless innings, the Senators came alive in the ninth, but it was too little too late. Jax Nichols (Motlow State CC) hit a lead off double and came home on a single by Alex Martin (Gulf Coast CC). They loaded the bases with one out. Nick Flores (VCU) came to bat while the runners waited anxiously to be brought home. He hit a sacrifice fly to bring the last runner home for the night, before the Thunderbolts closed the door. 

When asked about the team’s future Hunter stated, “Our goal is to win 13 of our next 22 games, so there is one. We got 12 left; we think that is enough to secure a bye in the first round. That is our goal.