After sweeping a doubleheader against the Rockville Express, the Aces fell to the Gathersburg Giants by a score of 10-4.

Wyatt Rush (Lanisng CC) was on the hill for the Aces, looking to repeat his performance against the Big Train; in which he pitched five and a third innings of a seven inning game allowing one run and one hit.

After allowing a run in the first inning, the Giants offensive attack was too powerful to pitch against, as Rush gave up five runs in the top of the second inning, highlighted by a grand slam from the Giants’ Scout Knotts (Shippensburg). Rush was taken out of the game after pithcing two innings giving up eight runs.

While the Aces had RBI’s from Reid Powers (South Alabama), Eric Lansinger (UNC-Charlotte), and Kris Kremer (Penn State) in the following two innings, the score was out of reach for the Aces as the Giants took a commanding lead 9-3 going into the top of the fourth. No action occurred from either team until the Giants and Aces scored runs in the eighth and ninth innings.

Tip your cap to the Giants pitching staff, as starter Travis Kraven (Whitman College) and Nick DeCarlo (Mt Olive College) combined for 11 strikeouts and only three walks. The Giants offense was able to put up 10 runs on 13 hits, maintaining their second place position in the Cal Ripken North Division.

The Aces are still battling for the third and final playoff spot in the Cal Ripken South Division. They will need to bounce back against the Red Birds on Saturday at Frank Mann Field.