Big Train Drop One vs. Redbirds

by David Ireland

On Monday evening at Joe Cannon Stadium the Maryland Redbirds defeated the Big Train 9-8. Bethesda had been coasting along with a comfortable lead for most of the game, but in the bottom of the eighth, the tables turned when Rick Oliveri (Buffalo) smashed a heartbreaking grand-slam to put the Redbirds on top.

Jimmy Saris (Georgetown) was the starting pitcher for the Big Train on Monday and was effective through five innings and left the game in line for the win leading 7-4. Saris was supported by a strong early offensive attack as the Big Train scored four in the first and two in the second. To lead off the game Bert Smith (Jacksonville State) ripped a single, stole second and was moved over to third on a sac fly. Then followed Jon Karcich (Santa Clara) and Chance Harst (Southern Mississippi) who both walked and led to Andrew Foster (Bowling Green) who came through with a double into the right-centerfield gap to score both Smith and Karcich for a quick 2-0 lead. One batter later Pat Minogue (Northern Illinois) hit a base hit up the middle to score Harst and Foster, but was thrown out trying to stretch his single into a double. However, the Train was off to a comfy 4-0 lead after one.

In the bottom of the inning the Redbirds answered back with two of their own, but in the top of the second the Big Train bats kept the heat on with two more. With one out Chris Duffy (Central Florida) and Smith had back-to-back singles and then with two outs a wild pitch plated Duffy. Then followed the hot hitting Karcich who brought home Smith with a base hit.

Saris sailed through the second and third retiring all six batters he faced, but he encountered some trouble in the bottom of the fourth when Zach Anderson (Buffalo) led off with a hard hit double and then Rob Pietroforte (Johns Hopkins) drove him home with another double. The fourth Redbirds run came home when Jason McManis (Dartmouth) laced an RBI base hit to cut the Big Train lead to 6-4.

The Big Train got one back with an RBI double by Eli Boike (Michigan State) in the fifth and then the Redbirds got one in the sixth making the score 7-5. The score stayed the same going into the bottom of the eighth.

Big Train reliever Brett Smalley (Middle Tennessee State) got two quick outs to start the inning but then Gavin Swanson (George Washington) crushed his second triple of the game. Then followed two consecutive walks to load the bases and all the sudden the Big Train were in serious trouble. Big Train manager Sal Colangelo elected to keep Smalley in the game and up stepped Oliveri who delivered a huge two-out bases loaded grand slam over the left field fence to give the Redbirds the 9-7 lead.

In the ninth the Big Train scrapped back with an RBI base hit by Steven Leach (Jacksonville State) but it wasn't enough as Karcich struck out to end the rally and the game ended 9-8, Redbirds.

Big Train 420010001 8 11 0
Redbirds 20020104X 9 8 2

W: Carpenter
L: Smalley

Box Score