One inning did the Thunderbirds in Thursday night as they dropped their first game of the season 5-3 to Modoc. The game was a battle all night as both teams traded scoreless frames for the first 4 innings of the game. The Thunderbirds broke through in the top of the 5th when Jeff Whanger reached on a HBP and scored on a Rob Carroll double.

The game was decided in the bottom of the inning. A couple errors, 2 walks and a 2 hits led to a short-lived lead and 5 unearned runs for Modoc. As expected, the Thunderbirds did not give in and scored 2 in the next frame and brought the tying run to the plate, but fell just short.

Rob Carroll and Bo Vaculik led the T-birds at the plate. Carroll had 2 doubles and a run driven in while Vaculik had 2 singles and and RBI. Other Thunderbirds collecting hits on the night included John Menth, Brad Bode and Fabian Mendive,

Brent Smerczynski was the hard luck loser on the night. Despite only giving up 4 hits and collecting 4 strikeouts while shutting out the Modoc the entirety of the night, he just wasn’t able to work out of a jam in the 5th and deciding inning.

Your NTX Thunderbirds return to action Thursday night at 6:30 at First Baptist Academy against the Dallas Mustangs looking to get back in the win column.

Your NTX Thunderbirds brought the sticks and ran away with the contest Thursday night, beating the Dallas Spirits 12-3. The birds racked up 12 runs on 15 hits with every player reaching base at least once.

After falling behind 2-0 after the top of the first, the birds bounced back with 3 runs in the bottom half of the inning and never looked back after a leadoff double by Brian Synatzske and a RBI double by Rob Carroll sandwiched between run scoring singles by Brad Bode and Don Massoud . The birds put the Spirits away for good in the 5th inning by scoring 9 runs. with contributions by every player in the lineup…. Synatzske, Brent Smerczynski, John Menth, Bode, Carroll, Massoud, Bo Vaculik, Ron Short, Jeff Whanger, Ryan Karonka and Mike Trujillo all either reached base, got a hit or drove a run in during the inning.

Brent Smerczynski was the starter on the mound for the Thunderbirds. After giving up 2 runs on 4 hits in the first, Smerczynski settled down only allowing 1 more hit the rest of the night while collecting 5 more strikeouts and improving his record to 3-0. Massoud picked up his first save of the season going the last 2 innings giving up 1 unearned run and picking up 3 Ks.

The Birds return to action this Thursday against the Modoc. The game is tentatively scheduled for 8:45pm at Reverchon Park in Dalkas.

Your NTX Thunderbirds improved to 2-0 on the young season by topping the Knights 6-3 Thursday night at First Baptist Academy.

After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, the Tbirds tied the game in the top of the third when Jared DeRusha walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a 2-out double by Brent Smerczynski. They took the lead for good in the 4th when Rob Carroll led off with a single, stole 2nd and scored on a ringing 2-out, wall ball double by Don Massoud.
The game was broken open in the 5th as the DeRusha singled and scored on a John Menth single, then Smerczynski and Menth scored on a Brad Bode single. A small ball manufactured insurance run was added in the 7th when Brian Synatzske singled, stole second, moved to 3rd on a Smerczynski sacrifice bunt and scored on a Menth sac fly.
Other Thunderbirds collecting hits on the night included Jeff Whanger and Ron Short.

On the mound, Smerczynski tossed a complete game for the Thunderbirds scattering 7 hits while giving up one earned earned and notching 5 Ks to improve to 2-0.

The Thunderbirds are back in action this Thursday (7/2) hosting the Dallas Spirits for a 7pm contest at First Baptist Academy.

The NTX Thunderbirds opened the season with new uniforms Wednesday night in Plano against an old foe in grand fashion, topping the Cardinals 11-8 to kick off the Covid delayed 2020 campaign.

The bats were definitely ready to get to work with the team racking up 11 runs on 14 hits from 8 different players including a 5 spot in the top of the 1st inning.
John Menth led the charge going 3 for 3 with 2 singles and 3 runs scored, while Brad Bode was 2 for 3 with a triple and 4 rbis. Brian Synatzske and Bo Vaculik also had 2 hits on the night. Other Tbirds collecting hits on the night were Brent Smerczynski, Don Massoud, Rob Carroll and Ron Short.

Smerczynski got the opening night start for the Thunderbirds on the mound going 5 innings and while striking out 6 Cardinals to pick up his first win of the season. Jared Derusha and Menth relieved Smerczynski in the last inning with Menth striking out the final batter of the game to earn his first save of the season.

Your Thunderbirds are off next week but return to action June 25 at First Baptist Academy in Dallas against the Knights

It’s been an extra long off-season for the Thunderbirds, but the 2020 NTABL Veterans season kicks off this week as the Thunderbirds take on the Dallas Cardinals. Always an even match up, often ending in the very unbaseball-like tie, it seems appropriate that these two teams kick things off after a two-plus month extended off season thanks to a worldwide pandemic.

With new faces, and a new look, the Thunderbirds look to make the 2020 season their most successful yet. If it’s live sports you need, the Thunderbirds are set to provide. Leave the masks at home and prepare to get loud, but please, no fires.