Steele, Lehman Power Big Train to 6-3 Win over Cropdusters

by Alex Rubinson

Pregame Huddle by Mark Thalman

OLNEY, Md. - In the top of the fifth inning, the Bethesda Big Train were hanging onto a slim 1-0 lead over the Olney Cropdusters. Connor Lehman (University of Alabama) was making sure the lead held up, but the Big Train knew one run was not going to be enough to win the game. Logan Ponnett (University of North Carolina Charlotte) led off the inning with a base hit. Three batters later, Brennon Wright (University of South Alabama) worked a two-out walk to keep the inning alive. Peyton Steele (University of Alabama) stepped up to the plate with the opportunity to give his team some breathing room. After an intense battle with Cropduster’s relief pitcher Angel Santiago-Cruz, the Big Train’s right fielder found himself in a full count. Santiago-Cruz delivered the 3-2 pitch. On the offer, Steele took one big hack and sent the ball high in the sky to deep left field and over the wall for a mammoth three-run shot to give the Big Train a 4-0 advantage.

“I was just trying to put the ball on the barrel,” Steele said. “I’m not trying to do too much and swing too hard.”

Peyton Steele by Mark Thalman

The long ball propelled the Big Train to a 6-3 win over the Cropdusters. The three-run tater was Steele’s first homer of the season. Coming into the night, the three-hole hitter had recorded nine doubles but had yet to leave the yard.

“Peyton has been hitting the ball well all year,” Manager Sal Colaneglo said. “Now [the ball] is starting to fall. You just got to take quality at bats, square the ball up, and good things will happen.”

Before the dinger even took place, the Cropdusters had their hands full with the way Lehman dealt. In the bottom of the second inning, Lehman was as good as he’s shown this season. The lefty started the frame by striking out Luke Keefer. Keefer was totally fooled on the pitch, as he tried to check his swing but could not hold up. Lehman followed it up by blowing it by RJ Cromartie up in the zone. Cromartie was so late, it almost looked like the ball was already by him when he started his swing. Finally, Lehman had Tyler Cook all over the place. He initially got him to swing and miss on a pitch in the dirt before he froze him on a well-executed strike to end the dominant inning.

“He mixed it up really well,” Colangelo said. “He executed when he needed to and competed.”

Connor Lehman by Mark Thalman

Two innings later, Lehman worked himself into a jam with a walk and a hit by pitch. With two on and nobody out, the sophomore could have easily let the game slip away. Still protecting a one-run lead at the time, Lehman forced Keefer to hit a routine ground ball right to Ponnett. The third baseman started the around-the-horn double play. Lehman finished the frame and got Cromartie to hit a weak popup to John Martinez (Florida Atlantic University) at shortstop to end the threat and get out the inning unscathed.

Lehman finished his strong outing after going 5.1 innings. He gave up only two runs (both in the sixth inning) and allowed just one hit. The only hit Lehman gave up was an infield single to Cade Walter. The outfielder hit it to first baseman Emilio Gonzalez (Florida Atlantic University) and beat Lehman in a race to the bag. The lefty also recorded five strikeouts in the win.

The Big Train added two more insurance runs for good measure. In the sixth, Matt Westley (undecided) and Josh Skowronski (Winthrop University) singled to open up the frame. After Martinez executed a perfect sacrifice bunt, Ponnett hit a sacrifice fly for a productive out. An inning later, Wright smacked one of his three hits on the night. The second baseman advanced to third after the next two batters walked and was hit by a pitch. With the bases juiced, Skowronski came through with a sacrifice fly to take advantage of the scoring opportunity.

Michael Kass (University of Central Florida) came in to relieve Lehman. Kass finished the job, as he went 3.2 innings. The UCF Knight found himself in some trouble in the ninth. The Cropduters worked a few good plate appearances to plate a run and bring the potential tying run to the plate in Zakye Hawkins. With the game on the line, Kass struck out Hawkins looking to end the Cropdusters’ last hope at a comeback.

Wright had a strong day at the plate for the Big Train. The Mississippi native had three hits and a walk. Wright also had an RBI single back in the third inning to bring home the first run of the day. The only out he made all night was on a diving catch by Cropdusters leftfielder Walter.

Brennon Wright by Mark Thalman

“I couldn’t tell how many wins we have,” Colangelo said regarding how his focus is just on that day’s game. “I’m just concerned with playing good, quality baseball and executing the three phases that we talked about.”

The Big Train will head back to Shirley Povich Field tomorrow when they host the Gaithersburg Giants at 7 p.m.

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