Big Train 7, Thunderbolts 6 (10)

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By Andy Ireland
Big Train Staff Writer

A full house. A beautiful night. First place on the line. Two outs. The speedy Nick Cleckler (Jacksonville State) steals second. Jonnie Knoble (San Francisco) at the plate. What more can a baseball fan ask for? Well, a hit, of course. And Knoble delivered. With a slashing RBI base hit down the rightfield line, Cleckler scored and the Big Train won the game, 7-6. And, with the win, the Big Train pulled into a tie for first place in the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Base Ball League's inaugural season.

The Big Train started things off on the right foot in the bottom of the first by taking the lead 1-0. Centerfielder Knoble worked the count full and walked. He stole second and advanced to third on Ken Beamer's (Findlay) fly out to rightfield. Shortstop Andrew Smith (San Francisco) knocked in Knoble with a sacrifice fly ball to rightfield.

Smith contributed to the Big Train offense again in the third and fifth innings with two RBI singles. Bryan Thomas (Virginia Tech) continued the offensive production with a hard hit single to centerfield that scored Smith.

The Thunderbolts posted three runs in the top of the fourth inning on three hits. Back-to-back singles by Justin McClanahan (NW Shoals CC) and Matt Capece (Bucknell) followed by a sac bunt by Alex Udwari (Belmont Abbey) set the table for Zach Clark (Newark). The T-Bolt designated hitter scorched a ball to first baseman Brett Hoeflich (Southern Mississippi) who decided to go home with the ball and failed to record an out as his throw came in too late. Anthony Russell (East Tennessee State) followed Clark's fielder's choice with a two RBI double giving the T-Bolts a 3-2 lead. Silver Spring added another run in the fifth on a ground out by McClanahan and then two more in the seventh on a double by Capece.

Despite the two-run deficit, the home team refused to go down without a fight. Bethesda scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at six. Hoeflich doubled in Drew Carson (Southern Mississippi) after Thomas scored on a wild pitch.

The bottom of the tenth inning began with a Nick Cleckler leadoff walk. After the following two batters failed to advance Cleckler, he promptly stole second. It was then with two outs that Jonnie Knoble ended the ballgame with his single to rightfield that scored Cleckler. "We were battling all night," Knoble commented after his exciting hit, "I just wanted to put the ball in play and make them make the tough play."

The ever-gritty Adam Redd (Virginia Tech) made his Saturday start giving up six runs on seven hits over six and two-thirds innings. The Big Train relievers allowed two inherited runners to score, but then shut the T'Bolts down in the last three innings. Brett Tidball (Georgetown Prep/Maryland) retired three straight Bolts in the top of the tenth to earn the win.

This win gives the Big Train 23 for the season and puts them in a first place tie with the Maryland Orioles (24-16) with two games left to play. "Winning this one was big," Manager Sal Colangelo said excitedly after the game, "these guys refuse to quit."

SS-T Thunderbolts (15-16) 0 0 0 3 1 0 2 0 0 0 -- 6 8 1
Bethesda Big Train (23-15) 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 -- 7 11 1

WP- Tidball (1-1) LP- Kloots (1-1)
2B: Capece (SS-T), Russell (SS-T, Carson (BBT), and Hoeflich (BBT).
Attendance: 763
Time: 2 hours and 58 minutes

Big Train Notes: With a second straight win over the T'Bolts, the Big Train split the season series four games apiece and pulled back into first place in the Gazette newspapers sponsored competition among the three Montgomery County-based teams... Silver Spring has won The Montgomery Cup each of the last two years and still has a chance to win again this year by beating Rockville three times if Rockville can beat Bethesda on Monday afternoon... A Bethesda win on Monday over Rockville will clinch at least a tie for Bethesda... Big Train starters Greg Lemon and Rhett Teller missed the Saturday game because of personal obligations but will return to action on Monday afternoon... It was Hungry for Music Night at Povich Field on Saturday. "Centerfield," the 8th volume of the Diamond Cuts compilation of baseball songs, was on sale at Povich Field and will be on sale Tuesday night and again at the first round of the playoffs on Friday night. For complete track listing and information on the latest CD, please visit www.hungryformusic.com... State's Attorney Doug Gansler was in the house... The game was sponsored by Cold Stone Creamery.