Big Train takes down Senators 7-1 in Game 1 of doubleheader

by Calvin Kaplan

Alex Peltier by Mark Thalman

ROCKVILLE, Md. — After a postponement lasting over two weeks, the Bethesda Big Train finally got the chance to resume its June 13 matchup against the Southern Maryland Senators.

The Big Train scored seven unanswered runs after the game’s resumption, storming ahead for a dominant 7-1 win in Game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader at Shirley Povich Field.

Right-hander Russell Petersen (Whitman) pitched the entirety of Sunday’s resumed action. He totaled seven innings of no-run, four-hit ball with seven strikeouts in a dominant outing.

“Russell’s a great pitcher, great arm and has a sense of what he’s doing,” Big Train head coach Sal Colangelo said.

“I threw a lot of innings at school,” Petersen said. “It’s more a mentality than anything to keep going and keep being able to get hitters out when you see them multiple times.”

At the plate, the Big Train was led by a three-hit day from center fielder Alex Peltier (East Carolina). Designated hitter Josh Skowronski (Winthrop) added a home run, his first of the campaign.

Game 1 began on June 13, and Big Train left-hander Tanner Kaler (North Carolina Charlotte) started well with a scoreless top of the first. The Big Train went down hitless in the bottom of the first and second, and the Senators picked up a run in the top of the second, taking an early 1-0 lead.

In the top of the third, Kaler allowed a single and a 1-0 count before the game was suspended due to severe weather. After the 16-day break, Petersen came in to pitch to resume the contest. The Big Train also brought in JJ Hand (Old Dominion) in place of Jacob Hauk (Maryland) at catcher.

Petersen allowed an additional runner before a spectacular diving catch from first baseman Emilio Gonzalez (Florida Atlantic) helped secure an inning-ending double play. In the bottom of the third, the Big Train quickly took the lead on a two-RBI single from Peltier. After a sacrifice fly from right fielder Peyton Steele (Alabama), the team jumped ahead 3-1.

The Big Train started the fourth strong, as Petersen struck out the side by getting three straight batters to whiff. In the latter half of the frame, Skowronski crushed a two-run bomb to right field for his first homer of the season.

Petersen dealt a scoreless fifth, and in the bottom of the inning, Peltier came around to score after an infield single, giving the Big Train a 6-1 edge. Neither team plated a run in the sixth or seventh, with Petersen picking up two more strikeouts to bring his total to five on the day.

In the eighth, Peltier robbed the Senators of a big hit with an excellent catch against the fence in dead-center. Hand pounced on a fastball in the bottom of the inning to bring home Steele and extend the Big Train’s lead to 7-1.

With one last chance in the ninth, the Senators were shut down thanks to another dominant inning from Petersen, who secured a 7-1 victory for the Big Train. Petersen picked up two more strikeouts in the inning, bringing his total to seven on the day.

Next up, the Big Train will face the Metro SoCo Braves on the road on Monday at 7 p.m. Its next home game will occur on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against the D.C. Grays.