wcthunderbolts.com

CRESTWOOD, IL – After finishing the game in a 1-1 tie, the ThunderBolts fell to the Joliet Slammers 5-4 in the home run derby to drop the opener of a three-game series at Ozinga Field Friday night.

Bryan Ketchie started for the ThunderBolts (37-44) and retired the first 13 batters of the game. In the fifth, the Slammers (30-50) broke through. Luke Mangieri broke up the no-hitter with a double and he scored on a Kyle Jacobsen two-out single.

The Bolts had more chances than Joliet early in the game but they left seven men on base through the first six innings. They finally got on the board in the seventh. Donivan Williams hit a leadoff triple and Nikola Vasic doubled him home to tie the score at one.

It remained 1-1 into extra innings. In the top of the tenth, Joliet had a runner at third base and one out. They tried a suicide squeeze, but when the bunt was missed, Lane Baremore was called out for going out of the baseline trying to score.

That kept things scoreless into the bottom of the inning, but when the Slammers caught Jace Mercer trying to steal third, halting the rally.

The game went to a home run derby and, after two rounds, it was tied at four. In the third and final round, Mangieri hit the Slammers’ fifth homer on his final pitch. The ThunderBolts did not hit one in response.

The series continues on Saturday night with a 6:05 first pitch. It is Princess and Pirate Night at Ozinga Field with a postgame fireworks show. Michael Torres will be inducted into the Frontier League Hall of Fame and have his number retired in a pregame ceremony. On the field, Miguel Ausua (7-4, 5.00) starts for the Bolts against Joliet’s Chris Roycroft (3-2, 4.56). Tickets, along with links to the audio and video broadcasts can be found at wcthunderbolts.com.

Box Score