THUNDER STRIKE BACK

By Ty Bartell

NILES OH- The Mahoning Valley Scrappers fell to the Trenton Thunder 8-2 in the second game of their series, thanks to a big five-run eighth inning by the Thunder.
Max Banks started for Mahoning Valley, while Quinn Holt took the mound for Trenton.

The Scrappers struck first in the bottom of the opening frame. Jordan Taylor singled and stole a base, advancing to third with less than two outs. Cleanup hitter Beau Ankeney brought him home with a sacrifice fly, giving Mahoning Valley an early 1-0 lead.

In the top of the second, the Thunder’s Ryan Cesarini launched a three-run homer to right field, turning the tide and putting Trenton ahead 3-1. After a few scoreless innings, Mahoning Valley got a run back in the bottom of the fourth with Josh Stevenson’s opposite-field solo home run to right, cutting Trenton’s lead to 3-2.

The game remained tight until the top of the eighth, when Trenton erupted for five runs. The Thunder used four hits, two walks, and a Scrappers error to build a commanding 8-2 lead. Cesarini added an RBI single, bringing his game total to four RBIs, and Rintaro Sasaki chipped in with an RBI single for the second straight game against Mahoning Valley.
Jackson Balzan and Luke Gabrysh pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings, respectively, to secure Trenton’s 8-2 win. Nick Moten earned the victory for the Thunder, improving to 1-1, while Max Banks suffered the loss, falling to 0-3.

The Scrappers (9-13) and Thunder (9-12) will face off again on Sunday in the final game of the three-game series, with a 2:05 p.m. first pitch at Eastwood Field