GAME 6

Errors cost the Thunder Sunday morning, as terrible infield play allowed the Stars to score eight unearned runs in the fifth and sixth innings. 

Kody Gardere tossed three scoreless, Jorge Bravo threw a scoreless inning, then Keaton Ijams toed the rubber for the fifth and sixth. In both innings, Ijams induced two quick outs, then his defense let him down each inning with an error to extend the inning, and secondary errors to further the damage. Joe Ferro relieved Ijams in the 6th and met the same fate, as what should have been an inning ending ground ball turned into two runs thanks to an errant infield throw. Ferro tossed a scoreless seventh, and gave up an unearned run in the eighth due to an outfield miscue. Ijams was saddled with the painful loss.

The Thunder offense banged out thirteen hits but left ten men on base, six of which were in scoring position. Cleveland Westbrook, Jr. picked up two singles, an RBI, scored once and stole two bases. Mike DeLeeuw clobbered a double to left field, Tyler Ziemak, Joe Ferro (SB, RBI), Jorge Bravo (SB, RBI), and Matt Ziemak (2 RBI) singled twice, and Keaton Ijams and Kody Gardere each singled. 

The Thunder pushed a run across in the ninth and showed signs of an impossible comeback, but after a single by Tyler Ziemak, the runner at first was a bit too aggressive and was thrown out at third base for the last out, with Mike DeLeeuw coming to the plate as the tying run. 

No games next week due to Mother's Day, then the team comes back for a double-header on 5/18 v the Mariners and Pounders. 

THUNDER STAR OF THE GAME:  Matt Ziemak - two singles, two RBI's.

Jack Palma and Joe Ferro blanked the Heat Sunday morning at the Santaluces Sports Complex. 

Palma threw the first seven innings to earn his third win of the season. He struck out ten, scattered seven hits, and allowed four walks. Ferro tossed the last two innings, striking out three while allowing only one walk.

The Thunder scored two in the bottom of the first thanks to a triple by Mike DeLeeuw, a single by Joe Ferro, a stolen base, and an error. In the fourth, Mike DeLeeuw singled, Joe Ferro walked, and DeLeeuw scored on an RBI single by Jorge Bravo. Kelsey Launi walked to load the bases, then Franklin Garcia picked up an RBI via a walk, which gave the Thunder a 4-0 lead. The T-Men pushed another run across in the seventh, as Joe Ferro scored via a sac fly by Franklin Garcia. 

THUNDER STAR OF THE GAME: Jack Palma - 10 K's, 7 shutout innings for the win.

The T-Men scored early and often and pushed the game out of reach scoring eight runs in the top of the ninth, as the team improved to 3-1 early in the spring/summer season.

The offense took advantage of six walks, six errors, and two hit batters, as they banged out eighteen hits and eighteen runs, with six of eleven batters having multi-hit games. Leading the way with three hits each were Greg Nicholson (three singles, 3 RBI, 3 R) and Mike DeLeeuw (two singles, double, 2 RBI, 2 R). Following with two hits each were Joe Ferro (2-run home run, single, 3 RBI, 3 R), Tyler Ziemak (single, triple, 3 RBI, 2 R), Matt Ziemak (two singles, 3 RBI, 1 R), and Kody Gardere (two singles). Guy Bitchatcho (RBI single), Kelsey Launi (single, RBI), Franklin Garcia (double), and Jack Palma (single) chipped in with one hit each. 

Jack Palma started on the mound for the Thunder and tossed six innings for the win. He struck out eight and allowed two hits, but walked five early as he gave up three earned runs. Blake Purnell tossed a scoreless inning by striking out three of four batters faced in the seventh inning, and Joe Ferro threw the last two innings, giving up two hits and no runs.

The league has off for Easter and resumes play 4/27.

THUNDER STAR OF THE GAME: Greg Nicholson - three singles, three RBI's, three runs. 

The Thunder scored in the last two innings to sneak a win away from the Marlin in extra innings. 

With a 1-0 lead after their first at-bat, the Thunder gave up three runs in the bottom of the first. Opener Jake Gilbert struck out the side, but also hit two batters, walked a batter, and endured an infield error. Unfortunately for the Marlins, that would be the last time they scored, as Jack Palma and Joey Hennessey would shut them out over the final nine innings. Palma struck out four over four innings while giving up a hit, and Hennessey picked up the win by tossing the last five innings, as he struck out nine and allowed two hits. 

Michael "MJ" Jordan doubled, scored twice, and swiped two bags. Rookie Jorge Bravo singled and also scored twice. Mike DeLeeuw walked three times and singled, Joey Hennessey drove in three of the five runs scored, to include the game winning runs in the 10th inning, while Joe Ferro and Greg Nicholson each singled, and Kelsey Launi led off the 9th inning with a double and later scored the tying run via a sacrifice bunt / throwing error by the pitcher. 

Ethan Wilder will head out to the Frontier League to play for the Washington Wild Things in Washington, PA, Jake Gilbert is headed out to extended spring training for the Reds, and Joey Hennessey is headed to the Atlantic League to join the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. Good luck guys!

THUNDER STAR OF THE GAME: Joey Hennessey - Outstanding defensive catch in outfield, knocked in three of five runs to include game winning runs, picked up win by tossing the last five innings while striking out nine batters. 

The Thunder outhit the Beach Bums Sunday morning but lost the game partly due to two errors, two wild pitches, a passed ball, and a lack of timely hitting. 

Jack Palma started the game for the Thunder, threw four innings, and left the game tied at three. Palma struck out three, gave up four hits, no walks, and gave up three runs (two earned). Rookie Jake Gilbert was tagged with the loss after giving up the lead in the sixth inning. Gilbert walked three batters, threw two wild pitches, gave up a hit, and allowed two runs (one earned) over two innings. Joey Hennessey struck out two and allowed one hit as he threw two scoreless innings.

Ethan Wilder started the game with a double clobbered to deep center field, then obliterated a solo homerun in the top of the 3rd. Ricky Marinez picked up two hits as well, both singles, while Guy Bitchatcho (double, RBI), Joey Hennessey, Michael Jordan, and Franklin Garcia, and Joe Ferro (RBI) had a hit each. 

Unfortunately for the Thunder, the team left runners at second and third base with less than one out twice, and two other runners stranded at second base. 

THUNDER STAR OF THE GAME: Ethan Wilder went 2-4 with a double and solo homerun.

The Thunder opened its 43rd season with a win in a morning game at the Santaluces Sports Complex against the Barnstormers (previously known as the Boca Yankees). 

Ethan Wilder (triple), Joey Hennessey (single, RBI), Mike DeLeeuw (single, RBI), Michael Jordan (single, RBI), and Kelsey Launi (single) picked up a hit each, and the Barnstormers committed three errors in the bottom of the first, which allowed the Thunder to jump out to an early 5-0 lead against starter Javier Lugo. 

The Thunder would add another run in the third thanks to an RBI sac bunt by Michael Jordan, another run in the sixth inning via an RBI single by Mike DeLeeuw, and their eighth and final run in the 7th thanks to the hustle of Michael Jordan as he scored after a dropped third strike and throw out to first base. 

Jack Palma started for the Thunder and earned his first win of the season. He tossed 3 2/3 innings, struck out five, allowed two hits, walked four, and gave up one unearned run. Joey Hennessey tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out four, Kody Gardere struck out three in his only inning pitched while giving up an unearned run, and Joe Ferro gave up two runs (one earned) over the last two innings as he struck out four batters.

Palma, Hennessey, Gardere, and Ferro struck out sixteen (16) batters, but also issued eight free passes.   

THUNDER STAR OF THE GAME: Ethan Wilder went 2-3 with a single, triple, and run scored.