T-Bolts Hold On to Upset Giants 6-5 in Play-in Round

By Evan Joseph

In a postseason opener packed with early fireworks and late-game drama, the No. 8 Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts held off a furious ninth-inning rally to defeat the No. 5 Gaithersburg Giants 6-5 on Thursday night at Criswell Automotive Field.

With the victory in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League First Round Play-in Game, the lowest-seeded T-Bolts continue their playoff journey and advance to face the No. 3 seed Southern Maryland Senators Friday at Regency Furniture Stadium.

Silver Spring-Takoma wasted no time making a statement in the top of the first inning. Outfielder Gabriel Pegues (University of Lynchburg) set the tone on the very first frame of the ballgame, launching a solo home run off Gaithersburg starter Owen Singer (Marymount) to grab an early 1-0 lead.

The T-Bolts added to their cushion in the top of the second when Mason Kelleher (Frostburg State) crossed home plate following a fielder's choice off the bat of Nolan Kutney (UMBC) and a subsequent throwing error. 

Gaithersburg threatened in the bottom half by putting runners on first and third with no outs, but T-Bolts starter Jacob Seek (Chesapeake) wriggled out of the jam unscathed to preserve the 2-0 margin.

Silver Spring-Takoma extended its lead in the top of the fourth inning. Matthew Kim (Hampden-Sydney) smashed an RBI triple to score Kutney, and an error on the play allowed Kim to hustle home to make it 4-0.

The Giants answered in the bottom half when Eli Livingston (Maryland) plated Breyden Ruiz-Weiss (Yale) on a sacrifice fly to break up the shutout.

The offense kept churning in the fifth. Trent Lopez (Cornell) scored on an RBI double from Griffin Puvel (Rider) to extend the Thunderbolts' lead to 5-1. Gaithersburg responded in the bottom half on a Charlie Buckles (Northwestern) RBI single, scoring Drew Cobb (Jacksonville), prompting Silver Spring-Takoma to call upon reliever Wade Hartrick (UChicago).

Hartrick stepped up in a major way, keeping the Giants at bay over 2.2 scoreless innings while striking out four batters. Meanwhile, Gaithersburg reliever Peter Bashore (St. Joseph’s) worked out of the bullpen to quiet the T-Bolts’ bats through the middle frames as the game shifted into a tight defensive battle.

Gaithersburg looked poised to strike in the eighth after placing two runners on base, forcing the T-Bolts to bring in Matthew Calabrese (Frederick CC). The Silver Spring-Takoma defense stepped up behind Calabrese, executing a crucial pickle play between third base and home plate for an out. Then, shortstop Samuel Camacho Jr. (Clarion) turned a smooth double play to escape the inning.

In the top of the ninth, the Thunderbolts tacked on a vital insurance run off Giants reliever Nathan Murphy (George Washington). Pegues walked and later scored on a clutch RBI single by Lopez, pushing the lead to 6-2. Pegues finished a stellar night reaching base in all five plate appearances (2-for-2, home run, two walks, hit-by-pitch, two runs scored).

The bottom of the ninth tested the T-Bolts' resolve.Three consecutive walks to Miguel Leon, Cobb, and Ryan Strnad loaded the bases with no outs. Silver Spring-Takoma turned to Aidan Watts (Rochester) out of the bullpen. Buckles greeted Watts with a sacrifice fly to bring in a run, and Cole McKenna (Longwood) followed with an RBI single to trim the lead to 6-4.

Watts then issued two consecutive walks to force in another run and make it a 6-5 ballgame. With the bases still loaded and the game on the line, EJ Youngling (Moravian) took the mound and induced a game-ending double play to lock down the victory and keep Silver Spring-Takoma’s postseason dreams alive.

The Thunderbolts will face the Senators at 4:30 pm Friday at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf. The winner will move on to the best-of-3 semifinals.