Metro SoCO Sneaks Away with a 5-3 Win After a Decisive Seventh Inning at Blair
SILVER SPRING, JULY 2—The Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts (6-19) and Metro SoCo Braves (12-13) had a breathtaking duel last night at Blair Stadium. This match only went seven innings, but it still proved to be a thriller; both teams not only shot out of the gate early, but also provided a photo finish.
Pitcher Emilio Rodriguez (La Salle) made his first start of the season for the Thunderbolts. The right-hander rocketed three innings, gave up three hits, issued four walks, and struck out five Braves. After loading the bases in the first inning, Metro SoCo secured their first run with an RBI walk. What looked like an ensuing rally did not last long; Rodriguez shoved out of trouble with a strikeout swinging to end the inning.
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On the Braves side, Reed Little (Hampden-Sydney) made his fifth start of the summer for the Braves. The righty twirled four innings, allowed three hits, two earned runs, and struck out six Thunderbolts.
DH Caleb Sturtevant was placed in the starting lineup for the first time since June 19; the junior out of Millersville had been recovering from an arm injury he suffered against the Southern Maryland Senators on June 16. The righty got rolling immediately in the first inning after getting hit by a pitch and stealing his fifth base of the season.
Later in the first, shortstop Jona Acosta (North Florida)—who previously reached with a base hit—made a break for second base, and looked like he may have been picked off. However, the speedster was able to slide into second safely, which allowed Sturtevant to score the first TBolts run of the game. Nolan Kutney (UMBC) then cashed in with an RBI single to right, and Acosta slid home to make it 2-1.
With two men aboard in the third inning, Braves infielder Robert Kelly (Jr., Monmouth) made a break for third base. Reactively, catcher Mason Kelleher (Frostburg St.) unleashed a catapult to Kutney that cancelled Kelly’s steal. Alejandro Vasquez (Bryant) answered with a base hit to left, and Ayden Albright (VMI) slid head first into home to make it 2-2.
Thunderbolts pitcher EJ Youngling (Moravian) relieved Rodriguez, and had one of his best outings of 2026. Youngling—who’s lucky number last night seemed to be three—threw three innings, allowed three hits, struck out three, and rendered the Braves scoreless.
In the top of the sixth, Aydin Prell (Dickinson) pieced an opposite field single to left. Thereafter, Acosta came through with an RBI single through the 4-3 hole to plate Prell. After five frantic innings, the TBolts led 3-2.
Braves outfielder Julian Lempur-Turkisher smacked a single up the middle and stole his fourth base of the season to lead off the sixth inning. With two outs, Owen Peltier (VMI) snuck a grounder under the glove of Sam Camacho Jr. (Clarion), who substituted for Kutney at third. The E5 yielded the third run for Metro SoCo, and it nodded the score at 3-3.
After giving up the fith inning RBI, Ryan Petro (Lynchburg) pitched a stellar 1-2-3 sixth for Metro SoCo. The right-hander forced three consecutive groundouts, and it gave way for an exciting seventh.
Wade Hartrick (Chicago) was inserted for a save situation, but the Braves eagerly reached base three consecutive times. With the bases loaded, Vasquez hit a shallow grounder to Acosta at shortstop. Acosta smartly sent the ball to Kelleher at home for the force out, and Kelleher rifled it to first for the 6-2-3 double play.
After this deflating double play, the Braves were brought back to life. With runners still on second and third, Albright was able to sprint home and score via a wild pitch. Metro SoCo officially flipped the script in the seventh, taking a 4-3 lead.
With James Robinson (Dickinson) at the dish, the TBolts’ dugout grew increasingly impatient with the home plate umpire’s flexible strike zone. After receiving a warning, Head Coach Brock Hunter was ejected for the second time this season. Following Hunter’s ejection, Chip Krese (Stevens Tech) drew a bases loaded walk to give Metro SoCo extra insurance. After trailing 3-2, the Braves now led 5-3.
Jeremy Seifker (Roanoke) came in for a seventh inning save situation, and the southpaw showed out for Metro SoCo. Seifker immediately forced a Prell flyout and Pegues strikeout before walking Sturtevant. This gave way for Acosta, who was already 2-3 on the night. The lefty went up 3-0 in the count and thought he took ball four upstairs. However, the call was ruled a strike. This sent Acosta’s TBolts teammates into a frenzy, and the umpire had to issue another warning to the dugout.
Ultimately, Seifker struck out Acosta swinging with a breaker in the dirt, and the Braves pulled off their second win of the summer against Silver Spring-Takoma. In their 5-3 victory, Metro SoCo collected eight hits, seven walks, and eight total K’s. Petro claimed his first win of 2026, and Seifker secured his first save. The Thunderbolts had five hits, three walks, and struck out ten Braves.
Silver Spring-Takoma went 1-2 in their three-game homestand, and will head to Gaithersburg tonight to face the Giants for the third time in five days.