Big Train Drops Game One Stunner 7-6 to Senators

Michael Madigan (#41) and Lucas Marrero (#23) by Mark Thalman

BOX SCORE

ROCKVILLE, Md. - In the bottom of the fourth, the Bethesda Big Train and Southern Maryland Senators were knotted up at one apiece. The Big Train had managed to hold off the Senators’ rallies to keep the game tied. Peyton Steele (University of Alabama) got hit to lead off the inning. Brett Ott (Sacramento State) dug in at the plate and worked the count in his favor to 2-1. With count leverage, the designated hitter swung away. Ott lined one into the right field gap. Centerfielder Nick Flores had the ball squeak by his glove. Steele was off and running on the pitch and scored easily to give the Big Train the lead. Ott was chugging his way around the bases and slid headfirst into third for his first triple of the season. John Martinez (Florida Atlantic University) singled on the very next pitch into left field for a 3-1 advantage. 

“I thought Coach [Galvin Morris] called a hit-and-run, and it was just a steal,” Ott said. “Trying to have a good at bat for the team. It worked out.” 

Brett Ott by Mark Thalman

The Big Train lost a heartbreaker to the Senators 7-6 after they allowed four runs in the ninth inning. Although Kide Adetuyi (Florida Atlantic University) may not have been his usual dominant self, he powered through six quality frames. 

“He competed,” Manager Sal Colangelo said. “He gave us an opportunity [to win].”

Adetuyi worked in and out of trouble throughout the contest. The Senators got a runner into scoring position in all six innings he pitched, but the lefty held the opposing lineup scoreless for four of those frames. He induced a couple of inning-ending grounders, including a double play to escape the third inning with no damage. He then started to rack up the strikeouts in the fourth and fifth frames on his way to retiring the side in each inning. Even when he didn’t have his best stuff, he closed out his outing by freezing Calvin Cook to end the sixth. 

“I had to work my [butt off],” Adetuyi said. “I didn’t have any changeup today. It was pretty much just a two-pitch mix.”

Kide Adetuyi by Mark Thalman

The two teams exchanged runs earlier in the first. After Alex Peltier (East Carolina University) made a diving catch to keep the Senators off the board, Logan Tribble appeared to be picked off first. Although he was tagged out, he stayed in the rundown long enough to allow Flores to score for an early 1-0 lead. In the home half of the first, Peltier led off with a hustle double. Two batters later, Josh Skowronski (Winthrop University) lined a single to right field to pull even at one. 

The Senators hit four Big Train hitters in three innings. In the fifth, Peltier manufactured his own run. He swiped second after he was hit. He later scored on Skowronski’s RBI grounder. An inning later, both Martinez and Dylan Murphy (Florida Atlantic University) were plunked. After Peltier loaded the bases with a perfectly-placed bunt hit, Brennon Wright (University of South Alabama) cashed in on the Senators’ wildness with a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Martinez.

In the final frame, the Senators staged a dramatic comeback. They loaded the bases without making contact to bring the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs. As the Big Train was one out away, Colangelo went to Owen Stewart (George Mason University). Stewart led off his appearance with a walk to force in a run. Jax Nichols stepped in and worked the count in his favor. He lined a base hit to center. Two runners scored easily to tie it up, but Peltier misplayed the ball to allow the third runner to come all the way around from first base to score to take the lead. 

“Kudos to Southern Maryland,” Colangelo said. “I would never have guessed that we would give up four runs in the top of the ninth. We made an error. It was ugly baseball.” 

Despite the loss, Martinez had a strong night at the dish. The shortstop doubled down the right field line for his second RBI knock of the contest and tallied three total hits. Wright also had three hits on the night, as the Big Train had four players record multi-hit games. 

“In the previous [at bat, the pitcher] threw two inside fastballs, and one ended up hitting me,” Martinez recalled. “They were trying to attack me in…. If it was inside I can’t miss it.” 

John Martinez by Mark Thalman

The Big Train are now in a fight for their playoff lives. They will need to win back-to-back games against the Senators. Game two of their best-of-three series against the Senators will be at Shirley Povich Field even though the Big Train will be playing as the “road” team. The game will take place later today at 7 p.m. 

Click HERE for the recap of yesterday's game!