BOWIE, MD – The Bowie Baysox emerged victorious with a narrow 7-6 win over the Somerset Patriots after a weather delay of 55 minutes caused by rain showers. The game occurred on Friday night at Prince George’s Stadium, providing an exciting showdown for baseball fans.
Despite the delayed start, the Baysox wasted no time seizing control of the game. Bowie loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning against Somerset right-hander Matt Sauer. Jud Fabian, who had previously stranded the bases loaded twice on Thursday night, stepped up and delivered a clutch two-run single, propelling the Baysox to an early 2-0 lead.
Bowie continued to dominate in the following innings. John Rhodes blasted a solo home run in the third frame, extending the Baysox’s lead to 3-0. Rhodes showcased his prowess again in the fourth inning when he hit a double to center field with the bases loaded, pushing the Baysox’s advantage to 5-0. This marked the end of Sauer’s night, as he allowed all five earned runs on six hits through three innings, along with three walks and strikeouts.
The Baysox’s starting pitcher, Chayce McDermott, also showcased his skills on the mound. McDermott retired the first seven batters he faced, striking out six consecutive batters after an opening groundout in the first inning. McDermott allowed only a single hit and recorded eight strikeouts until the fifth inning, when Mickey Gasper finally put Somerset on the board with a solo home run to make it a 5-1 game.
Somerset continued their comeback effort in the middle innings by drawing three walks against McDermott in the sixth inning. McDermott’s day they ended after 5.1 innings, with three inherited runners scoring against him. Right-hander Kade Strowd entered the game for Bowie and allowed a bases-loaded walk to Tyler Hardman and a two-run single to Jeisson Rosario, bringing the score to 5-4.
The resilient Baysox quickly responded in the bottom of the sixth inning. Tim Susnara led off with a double, and with one out, Coby Mayo launched a two-run home run to left-center field, increasing Bowie’s lead to 7-4. The Baysox held onto their lead until the ninth inning, with a scoreless seventh inning from Strowd and a scoreless eighth inning from right-hander Xavier Moore.
In the final frame, Ofriedy Gomez took the mound for Bowie. Although the Patriots managed to put some pressure on Gomez, scoring a run on a balk and a sacrifice fly, Gomez (S, 4) remained composed and secured the victory for the Baysox.
With this win, the Baysox improved their record to 32-40. They will face the Somerset Patriots again on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. ET, continuing their series at Prince George’s Stadium. Baseball enthusiasts can expect another thrilling game between these two teams vying for victory.