Headlines

Box Score: W, 14-9

The Big Train returned home to Povich Field last night against the DC Grays to kick off a four-game homestand on a night when runs were much more frequent than cool breezes.

"Swing the bat, see the ball, hit the ball," was how coach Sal Colangelo described last night's offensive bombardment, as the Big Train went on to defeat the Grays 14-9 for their second straight victory.
 
The offense got going early, as miscues by the Grays resulted in both Adam Barry (Cal State Northridge) and Hunter Renfroe (Mississippi State) crossing the plate to give the Big Train an early 2-0 lead, which would then be extended to three on a Colin Kish (Florida Southern) double to drive in
Tucker Tobin (George Mason).

The Big Train would continue to capitalize on mistakes by the opposition, scoring four more runs in the second inning behind RBIs from Brendan Hendriks (San Francisco), Barry, and Kish, expanding the lead to seven.
 
After the Grays plated two unearned runs in the third to bring the score to 7-2, it would be all Big Train for the next four innings, as Bethesda outscored DC 7-1 over the course of innings four to seven.
 
Kish, Hendricks, and Avondre Bollar (San Diego State) would contribute to the scoring over that span, collecting RBIs on a double, single and home run respectively. Bollar's seventh-inning blast came in a pinch-hitting appearance, as he pulled a first-pitch fastball deep over the left-field fence, making the score 14-5. "I just got my foot down early and took a good swing," said Bollar. "[I] took my swing." The bullpen would keep the Grays from achieving any sort of comeback from that point on, sealing the victory for the Big Train.
 
Though the Grays were able to score some runs near the end of the game, the result was never in doubt as the Big Train won 14-9.
 
After the game, two of last year's stars weighed in on this year's performance.
 
"We're getting there," said center fielder Hunter Renfroe. "We're getting a lot more timely hits and a lot more RBI opportunities. Guys are getting on base when we need them to and people are coming up with big hits when they come up to hit."
 
"We just have a different attitude," said Adam Barry. "Coming into it, we were expecting to come out and win like we did last year but I think the last two games everyone's bought in. We're all really pumped up to be out here and hopefully we can just keep rolling."
 
Manager Sal Colangelo also had a few words on the big home win.
 
"We're just playing Big Train baseball," Colangelo said. "We're hitting the ball, the pitchers are ... throwing strikes, and [we're] just having a mental approach to the game where everyone's focused every at-bat, every pitch; just changing our whole mental approach at the plate, on the mound, in the field."
 
Look for the Big Train to carry that momentum back home to Povich Field tonight, as they will face the Herndon Braves on 70's Night at 7:30 PM.