Big Train Starts Their Season with a Win against the D.C. Grays

Bethesda Big Train started off their official season in the Cal Ripken league with a bang. It was a brisk summer evening at the home ballpark for the D.C. Grays, and Big Train was ready to go. Big Train took a strong lead early on in the game, earning 8 runs from 6 different players in the first three innings and giving up no runs.

Tyler Villaroman (University of San Francisco) got one run in the first inning off a hit by teammate Carson Taylor (Virginia Tech University). The D.C. Grays scored zero runs, with no batters getting on base.

The second inning brought in 5 more runs for Big Train, solidifying their lead from the first inning. Justin Wylie (University of Arizona) opened up the inning with a homerun sent flying out towards the right field. After that, Big Train continued to demonstrate their prowess as an offensive threat on the field. Andrew Shebloski (St. Mary’s College (CA)) scored a run off a hit by Villaroman. A single from John Glenn (California Baptist University) brought in two RBI’s, and Glenn then scored a run off a hit from Taylor. The Grays remained scoreless throughout the second inning as well.

The third inning brought in one more run each from Shebloski and Bryan Diaz (Nova Southeastern University), bringing the score at the top of the third inning to 8-0. The Grays finally earned two runs in the third inning, from Ryan Shaw (University of Richmond) and Cory Alexander (Old Dominion University).

Both Big Train and the Grays remained scoreless until the seventh inning, with Big Train scoring three runs in one inning. Ben Martz (Cal State Northridge) got on base from a walk, and Wylie, up at bat next, hit a double deep down the left field line, allowing Martz to come in for a run.

Fox Semones (James Madison University) hit a screaming liner homerun out towards left field, and both Semones and Wylie scored a run,  bringing the final score to 11-2.

While Big Train’s offense was crucial to their win tonight, their defensive play and pitching was essential to the outcome of the game. Chris Clarke (University of Southern Calfornia) started pitching for Big Train, throwing for four innings. Big Train’s defense, led by standout performances from Glenn, Clarke, Taylor and Shebloski, stopped the Grays from getting on base until the third inning. Clarke, who knew some of his fellow teammates prior to playing with them for Big Train, is friendly with a lot of them and it was really “nice to have confidence in the guys behind [him].” Head Coach Sal Colangelo saw positives all around for Big Train. He thought his players “pitched [the game] really well” and he commended his hitters for “really [making] good adjustments.”

Overall, Colangelo thought that his team played hard, did well, and he is excited for another great game of Big Train baseball tomorrow night. Big Train returns to the Shirley Povich field on Wednesday, June 6th for their official home opener against the Gaithersburg Giants. The game starts at 7:00 pm. Come out and show your support for your Bethesda Big Train! Firsy 250 fans get a free T-Shirt.