Your Thunderbirds finally opened the 2023 season Thursday night with a few new faces that each contributed on the mound, at the plate and in the field. Unfortunately, the birds let an early 4-0 lead slip away resulting in a tie against the Orioles.

The Thunderbirds used a trio of pitchers on the night. Brent Smerczynski tossed 2 scoreless innings on 1 hit with 4Ks to start the night. Billy Coleman came on in relief tossing 2 innings, giving up 1 run on 2 hits with 1 K. Marc Boggio closed out the night, tossing the final 3 innings giving up 3 unearned runs on 3 hits while walking 2 and striking out 3.

The birds got on the board first in the bottom of the second. Don Massoud singled and scored after a groundball by Abdiel Rivera was misplayed by the 2nd baseman and thrown away by the right fielder. Jeremiah West promptly crushed a two run shot to left to make it 3-0. Rob Carroll singled the next inning and moved to 3rd after a failed pickoff attempt. Smerczynski drove him in with a sacrifice fly to deep left to run the score to 4-0.

Boggio was the other Tbird collecting a hit on the night for the birds. They return to action next week and try to get in the win column against defending Champions Modoc.