Bellis Dominates, Westley Rakes as Duo Lead Big Train to 13-1 Blowout Victory Against the Senators

by Alex Rubinson

Big Train Celebrate Victory over Senators by Mark Thalman

ROCKVILLE, Md. - In the top of the first inning, the Southern Maryland Senators already plated one run. Down 1-0, Drew Bellis (University of Central Florida) went to work. He immediately picked off the runner trying to steal second. Bellis then struck out Steven Kraus to end the chaotic first inning. From then on, it was lights out. The southpaw carved up the Senators’ bats. The strikeout to end the first began a streak of seven consecutive punchouts from the UCF sophomore. He was in absolute cruise control.

“Off-speed [pitches] early worked really well,” Bellis said “Dylan [Murphy] did a great job stealing me some strikes.”

The Big Train destroyed the Senators 13-1 in game two of their doubleheader on Sunday. The contest ended early after the Big Train tallied five runs in the sixth inning to mercy rule the Senators.

Emilio Gonzalez (Florida Atlantic University) got the party started in the second with a towering double to deep center. He later scored on an error. After Matt Westley (undecided) notched his first double of the night, Dylan Murphy (Florida Atlantic University) scorched a two-run base hit to give the Big Train the lead for good.

“[Westley] has been swinging the bat well, which was very visible today,” Manager Sal Colangelo said. “He’s got a lot of talent.”

Matt Westley by Mark Thalman

In the bottom of the fourth, Josh Skowronski (Winthrop University) hustled home on a wild pitch. Westley added to his big night with an RBI double. A sacrifice fly by Brennon Wright (University of South Alabama) and a second run-scoring wild pitch helped blow the game open for the Big Train.

In the fifth, Bellis ran into trouble. He appeared to still be in cruise control after he recorded back-to-back strikeouts to start the inning. Two walks around a single through the right side of the infield abruptly ended his night, as he gave way to Tanner Kaler (University of North Carolina Charlotte). Kaler induced a ground ball to end the threat and close the line on Bellis’ exceptional performance.

Bellis finished the night with 4.2 innings with the lone run being unearned. He only gave up two hits and registered a whopping 11 strikeouts in his outing. Kaler pitched a near perfect 1.1 innings. The lone runner reached on a Gonzalez error.

Drew Bellis by Mark Thalman

“[Bellis] was working ahead,” Manager Sal Colangelo said. “His slider and breaking ball were really sharp and had good depth on it. He really set the tone for us.”

The Big Train took a commanding 8-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning. The Big Train’s offense erupted for five runs in the frame, as they put the finishing touches on a dominant showing on Sunday. After Gonzalez scampered home on a passed ball, Westley lined his fourth hit of the ballgame for another RBI. Murphy singled home another run for his third RBI of the day. Two more runs came in to score to end the contest and clinch the mercy rule victory for the Big Train.

“After seeing one ball off the bat, it just carried into my other at bats,” Westley said. “I started seeing it better than I did yesterday.”

Westley finished the nightcap with four hits, which included three doubles and the three RBIs. Murphy recorded three RBIs of his own, as the catcher found himself on base three times. Gonzalez was the third Big Train batter to have a multi-hit game in the 13-run output.

The Big Train will hit the road later today to face the Metro South County Braves at 7 p.m. The team will return home to host the D.C. Grays on Tuesday, July 1 at 7 p.m.

Click HERE for the full recap of the victory!