Big Train Squeeze Out an Away Win

Monday, June 23, 2008
by Bryan Oringher
e-mail the Big Train writers at writers@bigtrain.org!
Box Score

In a game that nearly didn't begin because of your relatively typical summer hailstorm that delayed the game's start by 50 minutes, the Big Train had to fight off numerous comeback attempts from the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts at Montgomery Blair Stadium, but the T-Bolts never lead after Dylan Tonneson's (California) grand slam home run in the first inning, as the Big Train held on to win, 5-4, in a rain-shortened 7 innings game Monday night.

After Zach Kim (San Francisco) led off the game with a smacked line drive that was snared by the shortstop, Drew Lee (Morehead State) worked a walk before Steven Leach (Jacksonville State) singled. With Luke Adkins (Mississippi State) at the plate, T-Bolts starter Paul Cusick threw a wild pitch that allowed the runners to advance. T-Bolts manager John Duffy decided to intentionally walk Adkins to set-up the potential double play with the catcher coming to the plate.

Tonneson would have none of it. He promptly lifted a shot over the left-field fence for the Big Train's first grand slam of the season to give them an early 4-0 lead that the Big Train would put in harm's way often but ultimately never relinquish.

The Thunderbolts didn't take long to strike back, however, as they mounted a rally of their own against Big Train starter Andrew Smith (Charlotte) in the bottom of the second. After LF Billy Barber struck out to lead off the inning, 2B Brett Connor and 1B Heath Weatherford smacked back-to-back doubles, with Weatherford's plating Connor for Silver Spring's first run of the ballgame. SS Rich Conlon followed with a single just inside the foul line to score Weatherford and cut Tonneson's grand slam cushion in half.

In the top of the third, the Big Train added another run after Michael Cipolla (Saint Mary's (CA)) raced home on a wild pitch. Once again though, the Thunderbolts were right there to match the Big Train after a Gerardo Hernandez single cut the Big Train lead back to 2.

Still leading 5-3 in the bottom of the 5th, Smith was chased from the game after two singles to start the inning in favor of relief ace Matt Hiserman (San Francisco). As usual, Hiserman was simply dominant. With runners on first and third, Hiserman promptly induced a double-play groundout off the bat of Jabari Graham, although Brandon Boykin scored on the play to cut the Big Train lead to one.

After a few more scoreless innings by both teams, almost immediately after the final out of the seventh inning the rain came pouring down again. After a rain delay that lasted more than half an hour, the teams were all ready to play ball again and started running out onto the field to remove the tarp.

And everything went black.

The T-Bolts lights shut off automatically at 11:00, and 11:00 it was. Despite protest from Duffy that the game should have been suspended rather than final, the league would have none of it, and awarded the hard-earned win to the Big Train.

Hiserman earned the win after pitching three shut-out innings in relief, striking out three while giving up only one hit.

Game Notes: Ryan Wilkins (Lipscomb) made his season debut for the Big Train, getting the start at first-base before Danny Stienstra (San Jose State) came in as a defensive replacement in the seventh...RF Eli Boike (Michigan State) had to leave the game after experiencing focus problems that may have stemmed from his being hit in the head in Sunday's game against the Aces. Ben Jones (Auburn) took his place...2B Steven Leach wowed the crowd with an incredible play in the bottom of the sixth. With none out, Brett Connor lined a chopper that Leach ran too far past to his left, nearly slipping. With no other choice, Leach stuck out his hand and somehow barehanded the scorching bouncer and made the throw to first to retire Connor...The lights were a problem at Montgomery Blair stadium all night, and it appears to be an issue that needs to be addressed. The outfielders had an unbelievable amount of trouble tracking routine fly balls. Leach himself was a beneficiary when a lazy pop-up to right turned into a double because the rightfielder couldn't locate the ball.