Big Train's Power Display Falls Short in 9-4 Loss to Aces

by Alex Rubinson

Postgame Huddle

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - In the top of the fourth inning, the Bethesda Big Train and Alexandria Aces were knotted up at one apiece. Josh Skowronski (Winthrop University) stepped to the plate for the Big Train. The outfielder did not have the platoon advantage against Aces' southpaw Mason Christopher. On the first pitch of the at bat, Skowronski blasted a no-doubter down the right field line. The ball sailed over the fence to give the Big Train a 2-1 advantage in the middle innings. Skowronski’s homer broke a tie atop the home run leaderboard. The slugger now has the most dingers in the Cal Ripken League with four. He also broke ahead of teammate Logan Ponnett (University of North Carolina Charlotte) for the team lead in homers.

“First at bat, [it was] bad pitch selection,” Skowronski said after he grounded into a first inning double play. “I just had to go up with fresh eyes in my second at bat. [I] got a fastball up and in and was able to turn on it.”

Despite Skowronski’s moonshot, the Big Train fell to the Aces 9-4, snapping an 11-game winning streak. The Big Train’s offense is typically a juggernaut, but the Aces kept their bats quiet. As the Aces prepped the field after a recent storm, Manager Sal Colangelo said that when the game was in question of being played earlier in the day, it may have distracted his players.

“We competed early, [but] we weren’t in the game,” Colangelo said. “They psyched themselves out. We weren’t ready to play tonight.”

Although the bats did not come alive in usual Big Train fashion, they did show off their power. In the top of the second, the Big Train faced an early 1-0 deficit against the Aces. Emilio Gonzalez (Florida Atlantic University) led off the frame. The first baseman fouled off four pitches in the at bat. With the slugger down in the count 1-2, Gonzalez smashed the offering down the right field line and out of the ballpark for his second home run of the season. The solo shot pulled the Big Train even.

Connor Lehman and Big Train take the field by Calvin Kaplan

The big blow came in the bottom of the fifth. The Big Train were only down 3-2. Connor Lehman (University of Alabama) was trying to give Sal Colangelo five solid innings of work. John Colligan and Derek Almeda hit consecutive singles to lead off the frame. After a walk loaded the bases, Gavin Degnan hit a rocket all the way to the wall. All three runners scored to double the Aces total and help them jump out to a 6-2 lead. The bases-clearing double ended Lehman’s night.

Colangelo brought in Tyler Brashear (Eckerd College) to settle the game down. Brashear dominated in his outing. He started his night with strikeouts of both Diego Pena and Michael Powell. The righty retired Trip Capers to strand Degnan in scoring position.

“[Brashear] is a great pitcher,” Colangelo said. “He worked ahead. He had good command. He executed pitches when he needed to.”

Brashear came back out for the home half of the sixth frame and picked up where he left off. He continued to rack up the punchouts. His next strikeout victims were Brayden Huebner and Cooper Hums. After Brashear surrendered a single to ruin his perfect night, he finished with his fifth strikeout of the contest to end his sparkling two innings of work. Brashear credited one of his fellow relievers with a new offspeed grip he’s tinkered with.

“I would probably say setting up my fastball with two strikes with an early slider [worked],” Brashear said. “[The slider] is a new grip that James Gladden was able to show me to help control the spin and be more consistent with it.”

Despite losing 7-2 in the eighth inning, the Big Train refused to go down without a fight, especially after the team has staged multiple late-game comebacks in recent weeks. Skowronski added a sacrifice fly for his second RBI of the night. Later in the frame, Ponnett singled home one more run for the Big Train.

“Trusting my swing is the biggest thing,” Skowronski said. “It’s about seeing the pitches I want and being patient.”

Sal Colangelo (left) and Brennon Wright (right) by Calvin Kaplan

The comeback attempt fell short. The Aces scored two more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to put the game out of reach. Ponnett recorded two hits in the loss including his RBI knock. Brennon Wright (University of South Alabama) walked twice in the game and extended his season-long on-base streak to 27 games, matching his jersey number.

The Big Train will look to get back in the win column later today when they host the Gaithersburg Giants at 7 p.m. The team will be giving out 2025 Big Train baseball cards as today’s giveaway.

Click HERE for the recap of Friday's game!