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Box Score: L, 9-4

Another hard-fought battle by the Big Train tonight, as five runs were just not enough to get by the Vienna River Dogs.

Ryan Doran (San Diego State) went six plus innings in his first start of the season, giving up five runs. Doran went six solid innings and gave up only one run before running into trouble in the seventh giving up four. Obviously stamina was the only thing that could hold him, as Doran pitched an all-in-all solid first outing.

Mitch Morales (Florida Atlantic) hit a pop fly in the bottom of the second, and though it appeared to be the final out of the inning, lack of communication and hustle by Morales turned the play into a surprise RBI double. The play ended up driving in center fielder Cole Norton (St. Mary's College), giving the Big Train a three-run lead headed into the top of the third inning after RBI walks by Brennan Middleton (Tulane - also making his season debut) and Colin Kish (Florida Southern) erased an early one-run deficit in the first.

Later in the game Kish continued to be a doubles machine, driving one to deep left center to drive in catcher Tucker Tobin (George Mason), extending the lead to four.

Some late game pitching woes would result in a 9-4 loss in front of a second consecutive standing room-only crowd of 756, but expect a large turnaround as Mississippi State star Hunter Renfroe (8 home runs in the 2011 Big Train season) is set to return to the lineup either Sunday or Monday. Other notables set to return this week include pitcher Mike Kent (Louisiana State), third basemanAdam Berry (Cal State Northridge) and catcher Justin McCullough (El Camino).
 
The Big Train expect to be back at full strength in time for Monday's showdown against the Herndon Braves, and fans should expect to see at least one or two changes in tomorrow night'slineup as the Big Train take the road to face the DC Grays.