Tonight, the Thunderbolts will need to pour an offensive outburst onto the Metro South County Braves (5-2), who currently sit in first place in the South division standings. Much like the Thunderbolts, Metro SoCo’s game against the DC Grays last night was suspended in the seventh inning due to inclement weather in Lorton, VA.

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After losing their first two games of the season, the Braves have been rolling with a five game win streak. They currently rank second in the Ripken League with 70 hits, and their relief pitching has come through with three saves on the season. Christopher Krese Jr. (Sr., Stevens) is a Brave who has been swinging a hot bat this summer. The infielder is 9-20 with two RBIs and eight walks. Robert Kelly (Jr., Monmouth) has also been rock solid with a .400 average, seven RBI’s, and two doubles.

Krese and Kelly will face Christian Dray (So., Richmond), who is making his second start of 2026. In his first outing of the summer, Dray dazzled against the DC Grays. The righty rifled three strikeouts, allowed three hits, and worked a shutout in three innings. The Braves are susceptible to flyouts, as they have a Ripken League-leading 69 on the season. With Dray’s early-90s fastball, Braves batters may get under the ball a bit much if he places it high in the zone.

Head Coach Brock Hunter has emphasized how it is ideal for the Thunderbolts to use a maximum of four relievers throughout their games. The TBolts have shown that when they commit multiple errors, it begins to pile up the relievers’ pitch count. Last night, Brady Grimes pitched four solid innings and the defense committed zero errors through their seven putouts. If the defense tightens up, Silver Spring-Takoma’s relief pitching will be in prime position for success.

The second Dray day of 2026 begins at 7 P.M. tonight at Blair Baseball Stadium. For those who can’t attend, Peter Kelly and Patrick Moran will be on the call on the Thunderbolts YouTube channel providing live play-by-play action.

In the season opener on June 2, the Big Train walked off the Thunderbolts thanks to a left-field single by Emilio Gonzalez (Sr., Nova Southeastern). Gonzalez currently leads the Ripken League in RBIs with 10, and has a team-leading eight hits. In total, he is 5-11 with eight RBIs and two walks against Silver Spring-Takoma this season. If the TBolts want to pull off the win, containing Gonzalez will be key.



On June 7, Bethesda bruised the Thunderbolts with a 27-13 mercy rule massacre at Blair. In this seesaw battle, Bethesda trampled the TBolts with a 12-run seventh inning. The TBolts’ kryptonite of this loss was the 22 walks that pitching issued; nine of these walks came in the seventh inning alone. Simply put, the Thunderbolts need to find the zone if they want to keep things competitive.

Looking to derail the Big Train offense today is Brady Grimes (Jr., Millersville), who was scheduled to start yesterday against Alexandria. Due to the rainout, Grimes will start in his second go-around against Bethesda. In 2.1 IP on June 2, Grimes surrendered three hits, issued two walks, and struck out the first Big Train batter he saw. The 6”7’ righty will look to rock and roll once more, but this time at home.

Grimes will fire the first pitch at 7 P.M. at Blair Stadium. For those who can’t attend, tune into the Thunderbolts YouTube channel tonight for full coverage of tonight’s battle of the beltway.

No time to dwell. Tonight, 7 P.M., the TBolts are back home at Blair Stadium for an interdivision matchup against the Alexandria Aces (4-3).

Can't make it out to Blair Stadium tonight? Watch live on the Thunderbolts YouTube Channel. Full schedule, recaps, and tonight's preview at TBolts.org.

Sam Bergstrom

Thunderbolts Fall 27-13 To Big Train In A Roller Coaster Ride At Blair

SILVER SPRING, JUNE 7—Last night, the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts (1-4) engaged in a hectic Sunday evening see-saw battle with the Bethesda Big Train (2-3). The TBolts and Big Train scored a combined 40 runs, and both teams took advantage of lackluster pitching…

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3 days ago · 1 like · Sam Bergstrom

Tonight the TBolts (1-4) head to Criswell Automotive Field in Gaithersburg for a 7 PM first pitch against the Giants (4-1). Full preview at tbolts.org. THUNDERBOLTS GO TO GAITHERSBURG FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE PLAYOFF SHOWDOWN

The week ahead is at home, including another Big Train rematch:

• Wed. June 10 – Alexandria Aces, 7 PM, Blair Stadium

• Thu. June 11 – Bethesda Big Train, 7 PM, Blair Stadium (rematch)

• Fri. June 12 – Metro South County Braves, 7 PM, Blair Stadium (with Anthem Singers: Takoma Chorus)

Three chances to get right in front of the home crowd. The TBolts have scored runs this season. The pitching and fielding needs to find its form. This is the week to do it.

Come out to Blair Baseball Stadium to cheer on the TBolts. If you can’t make it Gaithersburg tonight or Blair later this week, watch on the Thunderbolts YouTube Channel. Full schedule and coverage at tbolts.org.

On the Mound Tonight for the TBolts: Branden Brown.

Brown (Sr., Frostburg State) brings one of the most well-traveled resumes in the Thunderbolts rotation. At Atholton High School in Columbia, Maryland, Brown earned Howard County Pitcher of the Year honors before embarking on a college career that took him from Wake Forest (2022-23) to Chesapeake College (2024) to Hofstra University (2024-25) and finally to Frostburg State, where he arrives as a senior. At Chesapeake College, Brown went 4-6 with a 4.38 ERA and posted 78 strikeouts in 49.1 innings – nearly a strikeout per inning. He is 6’3” and throws right-handed.

A win tonight evens the season series with Bethesda.

Watch live at the Thunderbolts YouTube Channel. Read Sam’s preview at tbolts.org.

Sam is covering the TBolts this season for tbolts.org, and we’ll be sharing his work here on TBolts.Fan. He’s been on the beat since Opening Day.

Read Sam’s recap at tbolts.org. Welcome to the beat, Sam.

The Cropdusters put up 14 runs in the fourth inning and never let up. Thirteen Cropduster hits, six TBolts errors, one TBolts run. Final score: 25–1. It was not the night anyone wanted.

Tonight is a fresh start.

The TBolts (0-3) travel to Washington, D.C. for a 7 P.M. first pitch against the DC Grays (1-2) at Robert J. Talbot Field on the grounds of Catholic University. It’s the Grays’ new home for the 2026 season.

RHP Christian Dray (So., Richmond) is set to make his season debut tonight. He is a native of McLean, Virginia, and a graduate of McLean High School, he helped the program to a Virginia Class 6 State title in 2024. His freshman year at Richmond showed some real swing-and-miss ability: 10 strikeouts in under 10 innings. He was also named CSC Academic All-District.

Can’t make the trip into D.C. tonight? Watch every pitch, hit, and exciting moment on our live stream at the Thunderbolts YouTube Channel.

Get full game recaps, previews and updates at tbolts.org.

Go TBolts!

The Thunderbolts led 7-2 through four innings before the wheels came off. Six errors gave the Gaithersburg Giants extra life, and they made the TBolts pay, pouring in 7 runs in the sixth on the way to a 20-8 final. Three hits on the night. Not the home opener anyone wanted.

Tonight is a clean slate. The Olney Cropdusters (1-1) visit Montgomery Blair Baseball Stadium for a 7 p.m. first pitch.

Braden Fetherolf (Jr., Clarion) gets the ball for his first start of the 2026 summer season. The TBolts (0-2) need a strong performance on both sides of the ball, and they’ll need the home crowd behind them.

Come out to Blair Baseball Stadium tonight and let’s get the TBolts in the win column.

Can’t make it out to Blair Baseball Stadium tonight? Watch every pitch, hit, and exciting moment on our live stream at the Thunderbolts YouTube Channel.

First pitch: 7 p.m. Full schedule, rosters, and game info: tbolts.org

Go TBolts! ⚡

On the Mound Tonight for the TBolts: Jacob Seek.

Can’t make it out to Blair Baseball Stadium tonight? Watch every pitch, hit, and exciting moment on our live stream at the Thunderbolts YouTube Channel.

Get the full schedule, game recaps, previews, and all the details for tonight’s home opener at tbolts.org.

The Thunderbolts take on the Bethesda Big Train tonight at 7:00 PM at Shirley Povich Field, a tough opening test against the defending regular season and league champions. It’s the first game of what promises to be another exciting summer of college wooden bat baseball.

Can’t make it out to Shirley Povich Field tonight? Watch every pitch, hit, and exciting moment on our live stream at the Thunderbolts YouTube Channel.

And then there’s tomorrow evening. The TBolts come home to Blair Stadium for the 2026 Home Opener at 7:00 PM, facing the Gaithersburg Giants. And you won’t want to miss it. Opening Day at Blair is everything that makes summer baseball special: great baseball, great food at concessions, and great company with neighbors and friends.

Get the full schedule, game previews, and all the details for tomorrow’s home opener at tbolts.org.

See you at Blair Stadium tomorrow night. Go Bolts! ⚡

We’re one week out. The Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts open the 2026 Cal Ripken League season on Tuesday, June 2 and there’s a lot to catch up on before the first pitch.

⚾ Roster and Player Update

College seasons are finishing up and players are heading to Blair. Coaches Brock Hunter, Max Eckert, Dean Wandell, and Ryan Mariani have assembled the 2026 Opening Night Roster.

See the Opening Night Roster on Instagram

David Vozzo (INF, Moravian) is back after earning 2025 Cal Ripken All-Star honors and a breakout sophomore season hitting .349/.500/.566 with 14 stolen bases earning both Moravian’s Student-Athlete of the Week honors and a spot on the 2026 Landmark Conference All-Conference Honorable Mention team.

🗓 Week One

Join us for the start of 2026 Thunderbolts baseball:

Sunday, May 31 — Pre-season game at Blair Stadium, 6:00 PM vs. DC Grays (free admission)

Tuesday, June 2 — Road opener at Bethesda Big Train, Shirley Povich Field (defending champs)

Wednesday, June 3 — Home Opener at Montgomery Blair Stadium, 7:00 PM vs. Gaithersburg Giants

Tickets, individual games and season passes, are on sale now at tbolts.org/tickets.

⛺ Baseball Camp at Blair

The TBolts Baseball Camp is back for summer 2026. Five weeks at Montgomery Blair Stadium, working with KoaSports and TBolts coaching staff on the same field where the games are played:

📅 June 22 – July 24 | Monday – Friday | 8:30 AM – 3:15 PM

For more details and the week-by-week schedule, visit tbolts.org/our-camps.

The boys of summer are almost here. We’ll have player profiles, game coverage, and more all season long right here at tbolts.fan.

Go Bolts! ⚡

As the college season winds down, we’re excited to share an early update on a returning TBolt:

Right-handed pitcher Jake Treasure wrapped up his junior season at Stevenson University on April 30. In his final appearance, Jake delivered a strong outing in relief—striking out six batters over 2.1 scoreless innings—to help the Mustangs close out the 2026 season at 18–18.

Jake earned 2025 Cal Ripken All-League (Second Team) honors last summer, and we’re looking forward to seeing him play a key role anchoring the TBolts starting staff and bullpen this season.

🏠 Host Family Needs

TBolts fans,

We need your help to complete the 2026 Thunderbolts roster.

Coaches Brock Hunter and Max ‘Skip’ Eckert have been building this summer’s team since the offseason, and more than 30 players are set to wear the Bolt in 2026. A few remaining roster spots, however, are directly dependent on securing additional host families.

To host a TBolts player, all that’s required is:

• A separate bedroom

• Access to a bathroom and laundry

• Breakfast each morning

Players take care of the rest.

They arrive in late May and stay through July—about two months of a busy season filled with games nearly every night.

Host families have always been the backbone of this program, and we just need a few more to finalize this year’s roster. You’ll be hosting a dedicated college athlete who values having a supportive home base in the community.

WHAT YOU GET: A season pass to all TBolts home games. A free week of TBolts baseball camp for an eligible child in your household. And a direct connection to the team that plays for this community every summer.

INTERESTED? Tell us you’d like to host at in the comments here at tbolts.fan or leave your name and email with the TBolts Contact Sign Up button below. Players are looking for a home this summer – and your spare room could be exactly what they need.

TBolts Contact Sign Up

If you have questions about hosting, feel free to reach out:

• Laurie (Host Family Coordinator): Tboltshostfamilies@gmail.com

• Coach Brock: Wildbillsports.brock@gmail.com

• Coach Max “Skip”: Wildbillsports.max@gmail.com

Thank you for your continued support of TBolts baseball. With your help, we can complete the roster and make 2026 another great summer.

Go Bolts!

Make dreams come true for a TBolt this summer!

Get in touch Today!

The TBolts have relied on community members to house players every summer since the program began. Hosting is part of what makes this team possible.

THE COMMITMENT: Players arrive at the end of May and stay through the end of July – roughly two months. They have games almost every night, so they’re largely self-sufficient. Hosting isn’t a full-time job; it’s an open door.

WHAT YOU PROVIDE:

• A separate bedroom

• Access to a bathroom and laundry facilities

• Breakfast

Players are responsible for their own meals beyond that, though many hosts include their player in a family dinner here and there.

WHAT YOU GET: A season pass to all TBolts home games. A free week of TBolts baseball camp for an eligible child in your household. And a direct connection to the team that plays for this community every summer.

WHO HOSTS: Families with young ballplayers who’d love a college athlete under their roof. Empty-nesters with a room to spare. People who simply want to do something real for the team and the players who represent it.

INTERESTED? Tell us you’d like to host at tbolts.fan. Players are looking for a home this summer – and your spare room could be exactly what they need.

Leave a comment

WHO THESE PLAYERS ARE: College athletes, NCAA-eligible, serious about baseball and grateful for a home base. They arrive at the end of May and stay through the end of July. Games are almost every night, so your player will be busy – but they’re part of our community for two full months.

WHAT HOSTING LOOKS LIKE:

• A separate bedroom

• Access to a bathroom and laundry facilities

• Breakfast each morning

Players handle the rest of their meals. Many host families include their player in an occasional family dinner – that part is entirely up to you.

WHO MAKES A GREAT HOST: Families with baseball-playing kids. Empty-nesters with a spare room. Anyone who wants a front-row seat to collegiate summer ball and a direct connection to the team. Our hosts come from all corners of the community.

WHAT YOU RECEIVE: Every host family gets a season pass to all TBolts home games and a free week of TBolts baseball camp for an eligible child in your household.

READY TO HOST? Fill out the TBolts Host Family form at TBolts Airtable. The TBolts have found a home for every player, every season — and that’s because of this community. Come out and show your support!

Matt Mervis, who played for the TBolts in 2016, was out there in Miami last weekend, representing Israel.

It was great to watch a 2016 TBolt play at the WBC, especially as we look forward to our 2026 TBolts hitting the field at Blair Baseball Stadium.

Don’t miss Neal Lavon’s updates at tbolts.org; he’s been keeping us in the loop with all the WBC action and the TBolts’ involvement.

The roles

Director of Game Day Operations — $30/hour ($4,800–$6,400 for the season)

You run the show. Coordinate staff, manage logistics, and ensure over 20 home games in June and July go off without a hitch. This is a leadership role for someone who thrives on organized chaos. Age 20+. Requires management or operations experience. Hours: Game days in June and July (typically evenings 4:00–11:00 PM).

Assistant Camp Director — $2,400 stipend

Help run our youth baseball camps alongside the head director. Work with kids, teach fundamentals, and build the next generation of players. Ages 19-24. Hours: 8:30–3:15 PM, M-F for 5 weeks (June 22–July 24) at Blair Baseball Stadium.

Music Director — Stipend TBD

Own the soundtrack. You control what Blair Stadium hears—walk-up songs, between-inning energy, the whole vibe. Ages 17-24. Hours: Game days in June and July.

Management Interns (2 positions) — Stipend TBD

Get real experience in sports operations. You’ll touch everything from marketing to logistics to fan experience. Ages 17-24. Hours: 4:00–11:00 PM for over 20 home games in June and July.

Bat Boy / Bat Girl (4 positions) — Volunteer

The classic summer gig. Be on the field, help the team, live the game up close. Work in pairs, 6 PM until game ends. Ages 10-13. Season runs June 3–July 31.

The details

Application deadline: April 15, 2026

Interested? Let us know by email to tboltsbaseball@gmail.com. Tell us which role fits you—and why you want to be part of Season 26.

Leading the way is left-hander Josh Domaracki (Frostburg State), who earned First Team All-League honors after a dominant season.

The southpaw posted a sparkling 1.98 ERA—third best in the entire league—while going 2-0 in seven starts. Domaracki's excellence peaked in crucial moments, including his playoff gem where he allowed just one earned run over six innings to lead the Thunderbolts past Gaithersburg in a play-in game.

Joining him with pitching honors is lefty Jake Treasure (Stevenson), named to the Second Team.

He compiled a 2-1 record with a 4.15 ERA, striking out 23 batters while walking just six in 21.2 innings. His best performances came early in the season, including road victories over Olney and Southern Maryland where he combined to allow zero earned runs across nine innings.

Rounding out the Thunderbolts' All-League contingent is infielder Tyson Gill (Clarion), also a Second Team selection. Gill led the T-Bolts with a .363 batting average over 25 games, the fifth best ever for a Thunderbolt player.

These honors cap off a memorable 25th anniversary season for the Thunderbolts, who reached the playoffs for the first time in two years.

For more see the All-League story at tbolts.org.

See the trailer and for more information go to AFI.com

ARRIVE AT 6:45 P.M. TO ENJOY SOME PRE-SCREENING FUN AND GAMES, PHOTO OPS, EXCLUSIVE MERCH AND THE CHANCE TO MEET MEMBERS OF THE CAST AND CREW. THERE WILL BE A Q&A WITH FILMMAKER CARSON LUND AND OTHER SPECIAL GUESTS.

Downwire, a local band grateful for Ada's longtime support, will provide live music featuring rock, blues, soul, and Motown classics. They've been performing at El Golfo for over a decade, and tonight they're playing to support Ada's fight.

El Golfo is at 8739 Flower Ave. Silver Spring. Can't make it? Support Ada through her gofundme page.