Bethesda Big Train Summer College Baseball

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It's Lucky Number Seven (Runs) for the Big Train

Monday, June 30, 2008
by Reid Kellam
e-mail the Big Train writers at writers@bigtrain.org!
Box Score

On the last day in June, the Big Train were able to pick up a road win, and finish the month with a 15-5 record, only half a game behind Youse's Orioles for the CRSCBL lead.


The Express managed to find the scoreboard without recording a hit in the first inning. Two throwing errors by the Big Train infield allowed Rockville to push across a run.


In the top of the third, the Big Train responded to score a run of their own. With the bases loaded Steven Leach (Jacksonville State) grounded into a fielder's choice that scored Ben Jones (Auburn) from third.

It was a solid last game for a while for the Big Train's third year roving infielder, who went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Leach left immediately after the game for Kazakhstan, the country perhaps made most famous by Borat, where he will spend two weeks on a religious mission to teach baseball. The Big Train wish him the best of luck on his mission and await his return in a couple weeks.

In the meantime, the Big Train added two more runs in the fourth inning, the first coming when Luke Adkins (Mississippi State) scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Dylan Tonneson (California). The second run of the inning came when Jones tripled to right, scoring Michael Cipolla (Saint Mary's CA) from second.

After the Express scored once in the bottom of the fourth, the Big Train took advantage of Express reliever David Langston in the top of the fifth. Langston was unable to locate the strike zone, walking three, and allowed the Big Train to score twice, making the score 5-2.

Another Express reliever in Zack Ullrich did nothing to stop the Big Train offense. In the top of the seventh, Adkins led off with a towering home run over the right field fence. Jordan King (Southern Mississippi) also showed his power when he doubled in a run to give the Big Train a four run lead.


The Express didn't quit, as they made a late rally in the bottom of the eighth. After a leadoff single by Kevin McAvoy, Joey Martin tripled in a run, and later scored on a sacrifice fly. With the runs, Rockville pulled to within two.

In the ninth, Billy Murphy (Rutgers) came on and recorded three quick outs for the save. Big Train starter Chase Tigert (San Francisco) was able to pitch six solid innings, allowing only two earned runs, en route to the win.

It was the second straight game of seven runs for the Big Train, who defeated the College Park Bombers the night before, 7-4.