Written by Mahaley Wise

In a tight back and forth battle for the lead spot in the South Division, the Senators and the Aces clashed on the field Wednesday night. The Aces were able to clutch the win in a game that was shut down by storms in the seventh inning. 

Senators leadoff hitter Nick Flores (VCU) started with a double to put a runner in scoring position. Steven Kraus (Binghamton) followed with a single to bring him home and score the first run of the game. The Senators loaded the bases but the Aces worked their way out of the difficult situation with two strikeouts. 

The Aces, despite putting runners on base, were unable to score any runs in the first two innings. However, they turned things around in the third inning. John Colligan (Ball State) made it to first for the Aces to start the momentum. Derek Almeda (Chaffey College) threaded a double through the left field side. A throw to third by Senators left fielder went into the dugout, sending Colligan home to tie the game. A sac fly to right field, delivered by EJ Hankerson (Maryland), allowed Almeda to score and puts the Aces in the lead, 2-1. 

The Senators closed the gap and tied the game again in the bottom of the same inning. Logan Tribble (Wofford) made it to second on super speed after a hard-hit ball to left. Carter Groen (UConn) sent a looping double to left field to score Tribble and replace him on second, making it 2-2. 

The Aces broke the tie with two runs in the fourth inning. Colligan sliced the ball through the right side, and an error by the Senators right fielder allowed two runners to score. Colligan made it to third on the play, giving the Aces a 4-2 lead. 

The teams entered a stalemate that lasted into the seventh inning. The Senators and Aces were both aggressive defensively, throwing out runners, and striking out batters on the mound. In terms of offense, numerous runners were left on base and run opportunities were squandered. No additional runs were scored for either team in three innings.

Lightning began to shock the sky in the bottom of the seventh inning and the Aces walked away with the win. The team demonstrated clutch batting and stellar defense giving them a two run lead at the end of the game, 4-2. The Aces stand as the leaders in the South Division, now with a four-game lead over the Senators with less than a week to go in the season.