Bowling Green Hot Rods outfielder Aidan Smith (23) sprints to first base during the Hot Rods 6-2 loss to Asheville on Sunday, May18, 2025 at Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Ky. (Caleb Lowndes / Bowling Green Daily News)

The Bowling Green Hot Rods held strong, capturing a 7-5 win in 11 innings against the Rome Emperors in South Atlantic League action Thursday at AdventHealth Stadium in Rome, Georgia.

The Hot Rods (41-35 overall, 7-5 second half) scored the first run of the game in the top of the sixth inning against Emperors starter Jacob Kroeger. With two outs, Emilien Pitre doubled and Mac Horvath drove him in with a single, making it a 1-0 Hot Rods lead.

Rome (34-42, 5-6) responded in the bottom of the sixth against Bowling Green starter Andres Galan. Dalton McIntyre singled and stole second base. Two outs later, Keshawn Ogans score him on a base hit, tying the game 1-1.

Another run came in to score for Bowling Green in the top of the eighth inning against Rome reliever Samuel Strickland. With two outs, Horvath reached on an error from Strickland. Noah Myers singled and then Blake Robertson singled to center to score Pitre, giving the Hot Rods a 2-1 lead.

Rome tied the game again in the bottom of the eighth on a run-scoring double play off the bat of Will Verdung.

In the top of the 10th, the Hot Rods plated two runs on singles from Pitre and Raudelis Martinez, giving the Hot Rods a 4-2 lead.

Rome answered with two runs on a Martinez throwing error and a balk, tying the game 4-4.

Bowling Green plated three additional runs in the top of the 11th against Rome reliever William Silva. Jhon Diaz started as the extra-innings runner at second, and Adrian Santana singled, putting runners on the corners. Aidan Smith roped a two-run double to left, lifting the Hot Rods back into the lead, 6-4. Pitre brought in Smith on another base hit, increasing the lead to 7-4.

Rome scored one run in the bottom of the 11th, but that was all the offense they could find, ending in a 7-5 Hot Rods win.

Junior William (3-1) earned the win, allowing three unearned runs on no hits, walking two and striking out two. Silva (1-1) was given the loss, surrendering five runs (three earned) on six hits while walking one and striking out one.

The Hot Rods and Emperors play the fourth game of a six-game series on Friday with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch at Bowling Green Ballpark. Bowling Green will send out right-hander TJ Nichols (7-3, 4.02) against Rome righty Garrett Baumann (2-4, 3.53).