Corbin Homers, Big Train Pitchers Work out of Trouble in 7-3 Win over Aces

by Alex Rubinson

Team huddle by Mark Thalman

Rockville, Md. - In the top of the fourth inning, the Big Train and Alexandria Aces were knotted up at two apiece. The Aces had just tied the game and were trying to steal game one of the doubleheader. Third baseman Parker Corbin (University of Maryland) stepped up to the dish with one out in the frame. Mason Christopher was on the bump for the Aces and held a 1.45 E.R.A. entering his Saturday start. After falling behind in the count, the third baseman battled to work the count back even at 2-2. Corbin deposited the next offering from Chrsitopher over the right field fence for his second long ball of the season. The blast gave the Big Train a 3-2 lead, and they never looked back.

“I was sitting on the heater and expecting the cutter,” Corbin said. “I got the cutter inside and low, and I just turned on it.”

Parker Corbin by Mark Thalman

Corbin made the necessary adjustment after he struck out in his first at bat. He had seen five cutters, so Corbin was able to eliminate certain pitches and sit on the cutter, which he took full advantage of. His homer propelled the Big Train to a 7-3 win in game one of their doubleheader against the Alexandria Aces.

“[Corbin] has got a great approach at the plate,” Manager Sal Colangelo said. “He’s hit the ball hard at people. His average is not an indication of how he’s swinging [the bat[.”

Before Corbin’s moonshot took place, starting pitcher Michael Devenney (Tulane University) found himself in a jam in the third inning. The Aces had loaded the bases and were looking to regain the lead. They appeared to have Devenney on the ropes. Diego Pena stepped into the batter’s box. Devenney quickly fell behind in the count 2-0 and was in danger of walking in a run. The righty quickly found the zone, climbed back in the count and struck him out looking to get his team in the dugout.

“I went out there and calmed him down,” Catcher Dylan Murphy (Florida Atlantic University) said. “We were going over which pitches were working and what the guy wasn’t able to hit.”

Michael Devenney by Mark Thalman

Once the Big Train took the 3-2 lead on Corbin’s blast, their lineup added insurance runs throughout its matchup to stay ahead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Cole Ketchum (University of Mississippi) allowed an unearned run to bring the Aces within a run. With the tying run in scoring position, Pena dug in once again in a big situation. Although it was a different pitcher, it was the same result. This time it was Ketchum who struck out Pena to retire the side and keep the Big Train’s lead intact.

An inning later, the Aces got the tying run on base in a 5-3 game. Colangelo called in Owen Stewart (George Mason University) to relieve Ketchum. Stewart pounded the zone and once again, when the Big Train was in a jam, an Aces’ hitter could not put the ball in play. Stewart struck out Gavin Miller to send the game to the seventh.

The Big Train gave Stewart breathing room. In the seventh inning, Josh Skowronski (Winthrop University) notched his second hit of the game with a run-scoring base knock. Later in the frame, Murphy continued his hot day at the plate with an RBI single to extend the lead to 7-3.

“[Murphy] has done a great job these last couple of weeks,” Colangelo said. “He’s here to work behind the dish and get better. He’s improved drastically.”

Dylan Murphy by Mark Thalman

In addition to putting down the signals behind the plate, Murphy registered three hits and a walk to get on base in all four of his plate appearances. He also added two RBIs on the afternoon. Skowronski and Peltier also had multi-hit games in the victory.

“I was in the cage with Coach [Galvin Morris], and he was telling me to get my hands back a little more,” Murphy explained. “My intent was to pull the ball, and I pulled all three [hits], and I got the barrel around.”

The Big Train will play their second doubleheader in as many days when they host the Southern Maryland Senators today. Game one will be the rest of a suspended game and pick up in the third inning at 4 p.m.

Click HERE for a full recap of the Big Train's victory!