In a double-header hosting of the D.C. Grays, the Alexandria Aces carded a 1-1 series split. The Aces move to 7-12 on the season and 7.5 games out of the lead.
Going shot for shot in game one, the Aces had their backs against the wall after a gutsy call – Javon Fields (Towson) thrown out at the plate in an attempted walk-off stealing of home plate – fell short.
In extras however, Daniel Brooks (GMU) put D.C. to bed with a solo moon-shot to right-center field. The college juniors first career walk-off dinger posted a final score of 7-6.
Game two played a new tune, although it looked to gearing up similar to game one. Max Romero (Vanderbilt) tugged a fastball to the right-center alley scoring two runs on a standup double knotting the score up at 5 all.
The future Commodores’ effort fell short though, as the visitors posted one run off of a hit and an error – one of four in the ballgame charged to Alexandria – for the go-ahead nod. The Pinstripes were unable to answer in the inning’s home-half dropping game two on a 6-5 mark.
Romero notably ended the evening hitting 3-4 with two doubles, four RBI, and three walks. He reached base in seven on eight plate appearances. Scotty Morgan (GMU) also extended is hitting streak to 10 games.
The Aces are back Saturday hosting the T-Bolts in a double-header. First pitch set for 4:30 p.m. from Frank Mann Field.

The Alexandria Aces are back in action Saturday in a double-header hosting of the Silver Spring – Takoma T-Bolts. Game one’s first pitch from Frank Mann Field is set for 4:30 p.m.
This will be just the second meeting between the two clubs having already split a double-header series at Blair Stadium on the June 21.
The first matchup proved unorthodox early as game one featured 15-9 shootout behind five cumulative homeruns. After Aces did bounce back after the loss however, in a 5-2 besting of the home team.
The T-Bolts sit behind Bethesda in second place 5 games behind while the Aces trail by a meager 8.5. Both squads have won five of their last ten.
Due to this double-header being originally scheduled, it will feature one seven inning and one nine inning ballgame.
No starting pitcher have been announced for either club.

Grays come to Alexandria for two

Today, the Aces will host D.C. for a pair of games at Frank Mann Field. Game one will get underway at 4 p.m.

Last time the teams met, the Aces won a close 6-3 ball game in D.C. Jared Lyons (George Mason) was fantastic on the mound and after a rain delay, Hugh O’Hara (George Mason) got the save.

The Aces are coming off of a loss to the FCA Braves in which a six run sixth inning helped the Braves to a 9-3 win.

D.C. is coming off of an off day on Wednesday and a 7-5 win at home against Gaithersburg on Tuesday.

In game one of the double header, Seth Marano (Lansing CC) will get the ball for the Aces and will be opposed by Jake Lewis.

Marano was strong in his last outing against Silver Spring-Takoma. The lefty went five innings and gave up two runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out three in his first win of the season.

Marano has improved each start so far and will look to do the same on Thursday.

Lewis has made three starts and has a 1-2 record with a 4.20 ERA. He has good command, striking out 17 and walking just six in 15.0 innings of work.

For game two, Tyler Briggs (UConn) gets the ball for Alexandria and will go against Ned Ruffin.

Briggs started game one of the double header at Silver Spring-Takoma and didn’t have a great start. He gave up six earned runs and eight total in 2.1 innings.

Briggs has struggled a bit with his command at times, but will look to get back on track on Thursday.

It will be Ruffin’s second start against the Aces this season. His first came on opening day when he went 2.2 innings and gave up five earned runs on four hits. He struck out two aces and walked five in that outing.

For the season, it’ll be his fourth start of the season and he has an 0-1 record with 10.24 ERA.

Follow along at Frank Mann Field starting at 4 p.m. or listen on mixlr.com/alexandriaaces.

Aces host Gaithersburg for double header

The Aces dropped a tough one on Sunday against Bethesda, but are back in action against Gaithersburg on Monday.

It will be the fourth and fifth meetings between the two teams this season. Gaithersburg has won two out of the first three.

The Aces lone win came in their first victory of the year and started their hot streak.

The Aces now sit at 5-9 and are last in the standings. The team however, has won five out of their last eight games.

The Giants are 8-9 on the season and have won two straight after dropping the previous six games.

The probable pitchers for game one of the double header are Nick Sadd (Bucknell) for the Aces and Ben Jordan for the Giants.

Sadd is 0-0 this season in four appearances and has nine strikeouts in 6.0 innings.

Jordan has made three starts this year and has a 2.70 earned run average in 10 innings of work.

For game two, Andre Orselli (Ball State) will get the ball for the Aces and he will go up against Max Goron.

It will be Orselli’s first start for the Aces. He has pitched 3.1 innings and struck out six batters in three relief appearances.

Goron will be making his third start for Gaithersburg. He has given up 10 earned runs in 5.2 innings in his first two starts.

Both games will be played at Frank Mann Field. Game one has a scheduled first pitch for 4:30 and game two is set to get underway at 6:30.

In his fist two at-bats, TJ McKenzie (Vanderbilt) saw just two pitches – a groundout to short and a lineout to center. However, his third opportunity sang to the tune of a leadoff triple to kickstart the bottom of the sixth.
Alexandria trailed by three runs, but would emerge from the frame with a one-run lead. Javon Fields (Towson) and Steve Hill (Morehead State) both carded RBI doubles, while Scotty Morgan (GMU) and Jared Lyons (GMU) picked up RBI of their own by virtue of a single and walk.
The lead wouldn’t hold however, as the visiting Bethesda Big Train rode one barn-burning extra inning to a 13-5 victory. The Aces fall to six games back in the standings on a 5-9 record.
Connor Campbell (Florence-Darlington Tech) took a seat after his four innings of work, allowing two runs on three hits behind a trio of strikeouts. Nick Sadd (Bucknell), Justin Offshanka (UNC Charlotte), Adam Schwartz (UConn), and Zach Fruit (Lansing CC) all came in for relief through nine innings.
Alexandria held the league frontrunners against the wall heading into the final inning. And though Fruit struck out the side, his save opportunity fell short as he allowed two runners to score knotting the ballgame up at 5-5.
Phil D’Ambrosio took the mound for extras and put down two of his first three batters on strikes. He later found trouble after walking four of his next five – Alexandria is slated for a double-header Monday and couldn’t go to the bullpen as a result – and found difficult working out of the jam.
Bethesda took advantage riding a two-out rally to eight runs in the tenth. The Aces failed to respond in the home half leaving two stranded.

The Alexandria Aces host the Bethesda Big Train Sunday evening for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch at Frank Mann Field. The Aces are sitting on a 5-8 record, five games behind the visiting league frontrunners.
Alexandria has won five of their last seven ballgames bouncing back strong from a slow start to the season. Last action against Bethesda took place in a double-header at Shirley Povich Field of which the Aces left in a split decision.
Connor Campbell (Florence-Darlington Tech) is slated for his fourth appearance and second start. The southpaw pitcher has seen Bethesda in two outings tossing a cumulative five innings and allowing just two earned runs off three hits.
Campbell most notably started in the Aces recent 8-4 win over the Big Train on June 16.
Opposing pitcher Nathan Schneider holds a 1-1 record and will be getting his first look at the Aces. Schneider holds a 9.81 ERA through three outings.
Bethesda, the three-time defending league champs, is slowly distancing itself from the pack having won seven of their last ten.

Aces travel to Silver Spring for a double header

The Aces have won four out of the last five games and seem to be hitting their stride after a slow start.

Even when the bats were quiet against D.C. on Wednesday, hitters were still able to find ways on base and score six runs.

The Aces, however, are still at the bottom of the league standings. The T-Bolts are in second place as it currently stands.

This will be the first meeting of the season between the Aces and T-Bolts after a rain-out last week.

Silver Spring has been near the top of the league standings all season and have played good baseball. Davonn Griffin (James Madison) and Tony Gallo (Lehigh) are both in the top five for batting average in the league.

For the Aces, Max Romero has continued his hot start. The young catcher walked four times in five plate appearances against D.C.

Pitching has been much better for the Aces as well. Jared Lyons (George Mason) was phenomenal in five innings against the Grays.

Tyler Briggs (UConn) is scheduled to get the start in game one after a great performance his last time out. On June 15th, Briggs held the Braves to two runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out three and walked two in that outing and got a win to even his record this year to 1-1.

Briggs will be opposed by Yash Rane. Rane is 1-0, but has an 8.00 ERA in two starts and has proven to be a bit wild with his control.

In game two, Seth Marano (Lansing CC) will make his second straight start as a part of a double header. Marano pitched five innings against Bethesda last Sunday in game one of the double header, allowing four runs on six hits.

Bradyn Kail gets the ball for Silver Spring in game two. Kail is 1-0 with a 6.30 ERA this year.

Both games will be seven inning affairs. Game one first pitch will be at 4:30 and game two is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Both games can be heard on mixlr.com/alexandriaaces.