Copyright 2007 Lisa A. Kammerman

Approach at the Plate Pays off for Big Train in Opening-Night Romp


by Bryan Oringher

Before a standing-room-only crowd of 795, the Bethesda Big Train opened their 2007 season with a display of plate discipline and clutch hitting, exploding for 9 runs and 13 hits in a 9-3 romp over their cross-county rivals, the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts. After their scheduled opening-night game against Youse's Orioles was rained out Friday night, the Big Train opened their third season in the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League right where they left off after winning the 2006 Regular Season.

After leading 2-0 early, the Thunderbolts ultimately struggled to make plays when they needed to the most. Thunderbolts' starter Jake Laber struck out 4 in his first 2 innings, but 4 errors in the first 5 innings helped the Big Train bats come alive, as they exploded for 5 runs in the 5th and chased Laber from the game. “Our approach at the plate helped us figure out what he was throwing and really led to the big innings,” said manager Sal Colangelo.

In the 4th, trailing 2-0, RF Clay Whittemore (Jacksonville State) led off the inning reaching second on a dropped fly ball by Thunderbolts, and scored after another error by Silver-Spring Takoma on an Andrew Foster (Bowling Green) single.

Big Train starting pitcher Keith Moreland (Charlotte) went 4.2 innings, giving up only 3 hits and two runs and received the no-decision. Bethesda's defense was stellar behind Moreland, committing no errors while he was in the game. Moreland was also helped by a terrific diving stop by 1B Evan Friedland (Michigan State) which saved a run and a hit in the 5th.

In the 5th, Bethesda's bats broke out. After Friedland lead off the inning with a bloop single that both the LF and SS of Silver Spring failed to call, 2B Bert Smith (Jacksonville State) reached on an error by Laber while attempting to sacrifice bunt. After SS Steven Leach's (Jacksonville State) ground-out advanced the runners, the Thunderbolts chose to intentionally walk RF Clay Whittemore to set up the double-play. Instead, DH Andrew Foster lined a double to right field, scoring both Friedland and Smith and sending Whittemore to third. LF Eli Boike (Michigan State) followed with another double, scoring Whittemore from third and sending Foster to third.

Once again, the Thunderbolts decided to intentionally walk C Travis Owens (Bowling Green) to set up the double-play in the same inning; and once again a Big Train hitter came through with a clutch hit. CF Pat Minogue (Northern Illinois) lined a single to center to score both Foster and Boike. From there, Big Train's bullpen was able to pitch comfortably with a 6-2 lead.

In the 7th, the Big Train added on three insurance runs. After a double-play erased a lead-off single, LF Eli Boike worked a 2-out-walk off reliever Clay Bartlett. Silver Spring committed their 5th error of the night on what would have been the third out, setting up first and third with 2 outs for CF Pat Minogue. Once again, Minogue came through in the clutch, singling to score Boike. 3B Chris Duffy followed by smashing a double to score both Owens and Minogue and put the Big Train comfortably ahead, 9-2.

RP Brian Anderson (San Francisco) earned the win after pitching 4.1 innings after Moreland was taken out, giving up only one unearned run. “He was lights-out,” said manager Sal Colangelo. “Moreland did very well too,” he said.

Asked if the 9-run outburst was a sign of what's to come for the Big Train this season, Colangelo replied, “Absolutely. To win the league three years in a row is going to be very tough,” he said. “I really think we can do it though; that's what we hope for.”

Box Score

Game Notes: The first 450 fans in attendance received Big Train water bottles courtesy of game night co-sponsor Grossberg...Ledo Pizza, who has provided the Official Pizza of the Big Train since the Big Train's first season in 1999, also sponsored the game...All fans received a complementary Souvenir Program courtesy of EU Services...Free milk and The Bean Bag’s famous cookies were given away at the concession stand until the third inning...Friday night's rained-out game has been rescheduled as a doubleheader for June 29th at 5 PM, making tonight's game opening night of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League's third season...Big Train's next home game will be Thursday, June 14th at 7:30 PM against the Maryland Redbirds...Tonight's raffle raised $292 for youth baseball fields.