GAME 5

The Thunder outhit the D'Backs Sunday morning at Seminole Palms Park and pulled away late to pick up their 3rd win.

Michael "MJ" Jordan and Ethan Wilder each had two hits, scored two runs, and drove in a run while swiping three combined bags. Franklin Garcia singled a doubled home a run, Joe Ferro clobbered a double to drive in two, and Joey Hennessey smashed a triple in the 8th and picked up an RBI. David Hansen, Mike DeLeeuw, Greg Nicholson, and Jack Palma each singled, and Erick Abreu picked up an RBI via a groundout. 

Jack Palma, David Hansen, and Joe Ferro handled the pitching for the Thunder and struck out eleven D'Back hitters. Palma struck out five, walked three, and allowed four runs through 6 1/3 innings. David Hansen relieved Palma, struck out four, walked one, but allowed two runs to give up the lead. Luckily for Hansen, the Thunder took the lead in the bottom of the 8th, which gave him the win, as Joe Ferro tossed a scoreless 9th inning to pick up his first save of the year.  

THUNDER STAR OF THE GAME: Michael "MJ" Jordan - single, double, 2 runs, 2 BB, RBI, 2 SB

A lack of hitting, a messy defense, and a wind-blown Dyer Park homerun special allowed the Stars to sneak past the Thunder Sunday morning. 

Aside from the two-run homerun by the Stars, this game had zero energy. In 8th place with a 2-2 record and eight games remaining, the Thunder must go on a winning spree if they hope to play in the upper-bracket playoffs. 

Kody Gardere, Keaton Ijams, Kyle Cole, Guy Bitchatcho, and Greg Nicholson each singled, with Bitchatcho and Gardere picking up RBIs. 

Gardere tossed the first four innings, Anthony Auletta tossed two, and Jack Palma threw the last two. The three pitchers struck out seven while walking three and allowing five hits. Palma picked up his second loss of the season. 

THUNDER STAR OF THE GAME: Anthony Auletta - 2 IP, 4 K, 0 H, 0 ER

Kody Gardere earned his first win by tossing five innings, as he struck out three while allowing four hits and one unearned run. Devin Blair and Max Charnin made their season debuts, each throwing an inning as they began their return to the field. Joe Ferro tossed the last two innings, striking out four of six batters. 

The offense had fourteen (14) hits, with three players registering multi-hit games. Kelsey Launi singled twice and stole four bases, newcomer Ethan Wilder drove in two with a single and double, and Franklin Garcia (2 RBI) launched a solo homerun in the 4th inning. Eric Gormley, Mike DeLeeuw (2 RBI), and Roy Glaum each doubled, while Joe Ferro, Kody Gardere (2 RBI), Darren Hansen (RBI), David Galvin, and Guy Bitchatcho (RBI) singled. 

THUNDER STAR OF THE GAME: Franklin Garcia - single, homerun, 2 RBI

Like last season's championship game, the Hurricanes and Thunder played after two weeks off due to rainouts. The result was eerily similar: The Hurricanes put up crooked numbers early and limited Thunder scoring en route to an easy victory. 

The Thunder's offense was active, with eleven hits, but they left ten men on base and the bases loaded twice. Greg Nicholson, Darren Hansen, and Mike DeLeeuw had two hits each, while Eric Gormley, Franklin Garcia, Kody Gardere, Keaton Ijams, and Roy Glaum each singled. 

Jack Palma (4K) started for the Thunder and threw the first three innings. Unfortunately for Palma, he worked behind in counts and left some pitches up, and the Hurricanes took full advantage as they banged out nine hits and eight runs, including a 3-run home run in the 3rd. Anthony Auletta (2 IP, 5K), Anthony Rodriguez (2 IP, 4K), Erick Abreu (1 IP, K), and Kody Gardere (1 IP, 2K) tossed scoreless innings after Palma, but the team was unable to climb back into the game. 

THUNDER STAR OF THE GAME: Anthony Auletta - 2 innings pitched, 5 strikeouts

Back for their 42nd season (21 years), the Thunder started things on a good note. They outhit the Astros 10 to 4 and won their season opener 8-3. 

Greg Nicholson led the way with a single and a double, as he drove in two runs while scoring twice. Joe Ferro followed suit with two singles and two runs scored. Guy Bitchatcho, Matt Ziemak, Anthony Auletta, Kyle Cole, Keaton Ijams, and Kody Gardere each singled, with Cole and Ijams picking up RBIs. 

Kody Gardere tossed the first inning and threw well but was the victim of two errors that allowed a couple of runs to score. Anthony Auletta threw the 2nd and 3rd innings and struck out five of the six batters faced. Jack Palma pitched an inning and a third and was a bit rusty in his return to the mound, as he walked three and gave up a hit and run. Joe Ferro relieved Palma and threw the last 2 and 2/3 innings. Ferro faced eleven batters, walked two, struck out one, and allowed one hit. Auletta's dominant performance earned him his first win of the season.  

THUNDER STAR OF THE GAME: Greg Nicholson - single, double, 2 RBI, 2 Runs