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Big Train Defeats Cropdusters for Third Straight Win
By Michael Stamatos
The Big Train is starting to hit their stride at the right time.
Last year’s champions got off to a 10-10 start this season, with a lot of offensive inconsistency. But as of late, the offense has been rolling, and so has the team. Bethesda tied their longest winning streak of the season on Saturday night at three games, beating the Cropdusters 8-5 in a big divisional matchup.
Bethesda wasted no time getting on the board. The Cropdusters’ starter, Peyton Brannock (East Stroudsburg), struggled with control in the opening inning, and the Big Train took advantage. Their first three batters reached after two hit-by-pitches and a walk, loading the bases for the middle of Bethesda’s lineup.
They came through without picking up a hit. A sacrifice fly from Emilio Gonzalez (Florida Atlantic), and a throwing error from the Cropdusters’ shortstop brought in two runs before Brannock escaped the inning with a strikeout and a flyout.
More sloppy play from the Cropdusters hurt them in the second. After a leadoff walk, Brannock generated a tailor-made double play ball hit right back to him and threw it away, putting runners at the corners with no outs. Justin Nadeau (Jacksonville) then slapped a single to bring in a run, but that was all Bethesda came away with.
Landon Franklin (Kentucky) blew the game open in the third. After the first two batters reached with a walk and a hit-by-pitch, Franklin detonated on a fastball, clearing the wall in left with ease for a three-run shot and a 6-0 lead. The Big Train would add two more in the inning, loading the bases with a single, error, and walk to set the table for Jaden Bastian (Jacksonville), who roped a single.
Sam Mitchell (Alabama) was solid on the mound for Bethesda. He set the tone, generating soft contact in four innings of shutout baseball, allowing one hit, walking one, and striking out two.
The Cropdusters got one back in the fifth. Cavan McMeans (Charleston) drilled one off the wall for a double, and a groundout and sacrifice fly brought him in.
Jack Robinson (Roanoke) and Jaden Newton (East Stroudsburg) were both good in middle relief, limiting scoring on both sides. From the start of the fourth to the end of the seventh, only one total run was scored between the two teams.
In the eighth, the Cropdusters started to mount a rally. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases, and a wild pitch brought in their second run of the game. Ryan Bouma (Frostburg) then ripped a two-run double, and a Parker Frey (East Stroudsburg) single made it 8-5 - all of this with no outs!
Max Martzolf (Florida Atlantic) settled things down for Bethesda. He was brought in to face Frey, and after the single, he stopped the Cropdusters’ momentum, picking up three strikeouts in the inning to escape without any further damage.
Jonathan Stevens (Alabama) slammed the door shut. He overpowered Cropdusters hitters with an explosive fastball and tight offspeed, picking up lots of swings and misses on his way to a clean ninth with two strikeouts.
