NEWS

By Tim Wilcox

The Big Train (12-12) cruised through the first three innings, getting ahead 3-1. But in the fourth, their lead vanished as the Thunderbolts (9-14) knocked three RBI singles and drew a bases-loaded walk to put a four spot on the board and take a 5-3 advantage.

Entering Sunday, Bethesda had won all three of the matchups with Silver Spring-Takoma. Yet, the Thunderbolts' determined lineup did not allow the Big Train to win a fourth straight. The T-Bolts added three more runs in the fifth inning and strong pitching propelled them to an 8-4 victory. SS-Takoma starter Rohan Mishra (Vassar) earned the win after firing 5.0 innings and allowing three runs, and his success carried over to the rest of the pitching staff.

“I just went out there and mixed it up and the defense was playing really well today so it went by really quick,” Mishra said.

In the first inning, the Big Train pushed the first run across on a single by Chistopher Diaz (Tulane), who extended his hitting streak to six games. Bethesda starter Jake Titus (Kentucky) kept the T-Bolts scoreless through two innings and a Cole Constable (Quinnipiac) sacrifice fly gave the Big Train a 2-0 lead.

The Thunderbolts drew a leadoff walk to start the third and John Dunion (West Chester) elevated a sacrifice fly to put them on the board.

For the third-straight inning, Bethesda added a run. Andrew Williamson (UCF), who entered on a nine-game hitting streak, continued his tear on Cal Ripken Sr. League pitching by crushing his third home run in his last four games. His five home runs this season rank second in the league.

Trailing 3-1, the Thunderbolts’ four-run fourth inning catapulted them into the lead. With two runners on, Josh Erd (Frederick CC) ripped a single down the left field line to cut the T-Bolts deficit back to one. Then Mike Heckman (Shippensburg) drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at 3-3.

With the bases still juiced, Quincy Via (Marymount) and his Marymount teammate Ryan Cuadros (Marymount) ripped RBI singles to take a 5-3 advantage. Looking to get out of the jam, the Big Train brought in Aden Ritenour (Shepherd), and he got a flyout on one pitch to end the inning.

After allowing one run in each of the first three innings, Mishra threw a scoreless fourth, facing four batters.

The efficient inning put the bat back in the Thunderbolts hands and they continued to get runners on. Bryce Curry (Frederick CC) roped an RBI single to left, Via drew a bases loaded walk and Dunion lifted his second sacrifice fly to extend the T-Bolts lead to 8-3.

The Big Train got two of the first three hitters on base to start the fifth, threatening to cut into the Thunderbolts lead. But with two outs and runners on the corners, Mishra induced a groundout to finish another scoreless frame and end his five-inning outing.

From the sixth inning on, both teams' hitters fell silent behind strong bullpen performances. Big Train reliever Evan Hart (Kentucky) slowed the Thunderbolts with 3.2 scoreless innings. Meanwhile, Ryan Mariani (Marymount) delivered two scoreless frames.

Bethesda got a boost from Landon Franklin (Kentucky), who clobbered a RBI ground-rule double, but that was all the Thunderbolts allowed. Vance Bonior (UMass) entered in the ninth and picked up the save, his first of the season.

“[The relievers] all did really well [and showed] a lot of fight,” Mishra said. “There's just so much passion, everybody really wanted it so you always love to see that.”

The victory marks the Thunderbolts’ second in a 24 hour span, both coming at a good time as they look to gain ground in the playoff race.

“We got two big wins against two good teams and it gives everybody confidence,” Mishra said. “We all know we can play with anybody and we're gonna just keep it rolling.”

The Thunderbolts take on the Aces at Frank Mann Field Monday while the Big Train face the Senators at Regency Furniture Stadium Monday.