Bethesda Big Train Summer College Baseball

301.983.1006
faninfo@bigtrain.org
P. O. Box 30306
Bethesda, MD 20824

After 24-2 Loss, Big Train Win to Stay Alive


Wednesday, July 30, 2008
by Zach Stone
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

After enduring an epic beatdown earlier in the day, the Bethesda Big Train rebounded with an incredible come-from-beind win in an elimination game against the #8 seeded Maryland Redbirds. Down by four through five innings, the Big Train picked up two runs in the sixth and exploded for five runs in the eighth to earn the win, 7-4.

Bethesda sent 6-0 Scott Schneider (Saint Mary's CA) to the mound to start the game. Schneider started a bit shaky, allowing a single to begin the game. Two batters later, Tim Reeves doubled to rightfield, and after Eli Boike (Michigan State) misplayed the ball, the Redbirds had a 1-0 lead. Although the Big Train offense was still silent, Schneider settled down. He pitched two scoreless innings before running into more trouble in the fourth.

After walking two batters to begin the inning, Schneider got himself in a major jam with a crucial fielding error. Schneider fielded a bunt off the bat of E.J Smith, and his throw to first took Jordan King (Meridian CC) into the path of the runner. Smith ran into King, who dropped the ball in the collision. A run scored on the play, and the other two runners advanced to scoring position. The Redbirds doubled their 2-0 lead with back-to-back sacrifice flies, leaving the Big Train with a 4-0 deficit.

Schneider stayed in the game, pitching two more scoreless innings. In his six innings, Schneider struck out six, while allowing only four hits and two walks. Only two of the four runs he surrendured were earned.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Big Train offense finally awoke. Zach Kim (San Francisco) began the inning with a walk, and stole third after advancing to second on a single by Ryan Mulligan (Saint Mary's CA). Each runner came around to score on groundouts.

Redbirds' starter Hernan Colmenarez finished with two runs in seven innings pitched, on four hits, four walks, and four strikeouts.

Relief ace Matt Hiserman (San Francisco) and his 0.00 ERA entered the game in the seventh, and shut down the Redbirds offense. Hiserman held Maryland scoreless over the final three innings, only allowing two baserunners, while striking out four.

"Everyone knew their job," Hiserman said. "No one had to say anything; everyone knew what they had to do."

After Colmenarez left the game, the Redbirds' pitching fell apart. Maryland used three different pitchers to get through the eighth inning. Former Big Train pitcher Costa Kapothanasis began the inning with back-to-back walks. After a failed bunt, Jordan King doubled to the left field wall, scoring Danny Stienstra (San Jose State) and moving Luke Adkins (Mississippi State) to third.

"I knew he was struggling to throw strikes," King said. "He fell behind me in the count and I found a good pitch to drive."

The Big Train tied the game at four after a balk by Kapothanasis. With runners on first and third, Drew Lee (Morehead State) singled up the middle, giving the Big Train the lead for the first time in 17 innings.

Finally taking the lead felt "awesome," Lee said. "We had been struggling a lot at the plate" today, but in the eighth inning, "we were just a little more focused; we knew that if we didn't score some runs, our season was over."


Bethesda went on to add two more runs in the inning, and after Hiserman shut down the Redbirds in the ninth, the Big Train moved on to play another day.

"We've been here for two months. No one wants to go home now," King said.