Game One: On a beautiful summer night at Blair Stadium, the Big Train scored early and often en route to a solid win in game one of their doubleheader with the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts.
Eli Boike (Michigan State), Mike Celenza (Salisbury) and Jarrod Parks (Mississippi State) reached base in the first-inning on a walk, single, and hit-by-pitch, respectively. Boike and Celenza were then plated on a two-out single from Luke Adkins (Mississippi State) to begin the Big Train attack.
In the third inning, up 4-2, the Big Train offense broke the game open with a six run inning. Danny Stienstra (San Jose State) and Parks reached base to leadoff the inning and advanced on a bunt from Adkins. A Jordan King (Meridian CC) single then brought home both Stienstra and Parks. King advanced to second on a single from Jack Mosbacher (Stanford) in his first at-bats of the season, and Mason Morioka (San Francisco) followed with a walk to load the bases. Connor Bernatz (San Francisco) brought King home with a single, and Boike then launched a three-run double to bring the score to 10-2.
Behind a commanding pitching performance from Bethesda native Gabe Feldman (Wake Forest), the Big Train rolled to their 7th victory of the season. Feldman pitched six innings while allowing only 2 early runs, and picked up his second victory in as many starts. Kris Brown (Rider) came on in the seventh to close out the contest.
Game Two:
With Hugh Adams (Florida Atlantic) in dominant form in his first start of the summer, the Big Train offense picked up right where it left off in game one of the doubleheader, touching Thunderbolts' pitching for eight hits, eight walks, and seven runs to sweep the doubleheader for Bethesda.
The offense got started in the third inning when Eli Boike (Michigan State) tripled to deep center and then scored on a passed ball. In the fourth, the Big Train essentially put the game out of reach with a total team effort, exploding for six runs and batting around. Ryan Mulligan (Saint Mary's (CA)), Jordan King (Meridian CC), Jack Mosbacher (Stanford), Danny Stienstra (San Jose State), and Boike all singled in the inning, while Connor Bernatz (San Francisco), Mike Celenza (Salisbury), and Jarrod Parks (Mississippi State) walked, with Luke Adkins (Mississippi State) adding a sacrifice fly.
Adams was terrific in his first start of the season, pitching four shutout innings with five strikeouts and only one walk to earn the win. He had Thunderbolts' hitters out in front all night with a great changeup, and only one Thunderbolt made it to second base with Adams on the hill thanks to an error. Ryan Vander Tuig (San Jose State) came on to pitch two great innings of relief, while Mike Matta (Mt. Saint Mary's) shut the door in the seventh.
The three pitchers combined for Bethesda's third shutout so far this season, and the pitching under first-year pitching coach Bill Sizemore has surrendered only 18 runs in 87 innings, or just under 2 runs per game. The doubleheader sweep put Bethesda back into first place for the time being in the CRSL at 8-2.
Big Train Players in Pro Baseball
Casey Baron, LHP (BT 2004) Huntsville (Southern Lg. - AA) 4-1, 1 SV, 1.35 ERA in 10 games
Mike Costanzo, 3B (BT 2003) Bowie (Eastern Lg. - AA) .151, 2 HR, 13 RBI in 25 games
Chris Cullen, RHP (BT 2006) Lynchburg (Carolina Lg.- Hi A) 3-1, 1 SV, 2.45 ERA in 18 games
Evan Frederickson, LHP (BT 2006-07) Wisconsin (Midwest Lg. - Lo A) 2-3, 5.94 ERA in 11 games
Carlos Gutierrez, RHP (BT 2005) New Britain (Eastern Lg. AA) 1-0, 9.00 ERA in 1 game after 1.32 ERA in 11 games at Hi A level.
Dirk Hayhurst, RHP (BT 2001) Toronto Blue Jays (American Lg. - MLB) 0--0, 0.00 ERA in 2 games
Mitch Herold, LHP (BT 2007) Greenville (So. Atlantic Lg. - Lo A) 2-0, 2 SV, 2.45 ERA in 13 games
Austin Hinkle, RHP (BT 2006) Charlotte (Fla. State Lg. - Hi A) 1-2, 3 SV, 2.93 ERA in 14 games
Terry "T.J." Hose, RHP (BT 2004) South Bend (Midwest Lg. - Lo A) 1-1, 6 SV, 1.61 ERA in 15 games
Charlton Jimerson, OF (BT 1999) Newark Bears (Atlantic Lg.- IND) .263 in 36 games, 5 HR, 12 RBI, 11 SB
Marcus Jones, OF (BT 2005) Hagerstown (S. Atlantic Lg. - Lo A) .176 in 9 games. On disabled list.
Jonnie Knoble, OF (BT 2004-05) Midwest Sliders (Frontier Lg. - IND) .311 with 14 hits in 13 games.
Greg Lemon, 2B (BT 2004-05) American Defenders of New Hampshire (Canadian-Amer. Lg. - IND) stats n/a
Bobby Livingston, LHP (BT 2001) Norfolk (International Lg. - AAA) 1-0, 1.80 ERA in 3 games, 11 K, 1 BB
John Maine, RHP (BT 2000) New York Mets (National Lg. - MLB) 5-4, 4.52 ERA in 11 games
Mike McBryde, OF (BT 2004) Connecticut (Eastern Lg. - AA) .262, 17 hits in 18 games
Michael McKenry, C (BT 2004) Tulsa (Texas Lg. - AA) .263, 40 hits in 42 games
Chris Mobley, RHP (BT 2002) New Orleans (PCL - AAA) 1-0, 2.45 ERA in 13 games
Dustin Pease, LHP (BT 2005-06) Windy City Thunderbolts (Frontier Lg. - IND) 2-1, 4.61 ERA in 10 games
John Poppert, C/coach (BT 2000) Syracuse (International Lg. - AAA) one game, no at bats
Andrew Smith, 3B/SS (BT 2004-05) The Templiers in Senart, France (20 miles south of Paris) stats n/a
Rhett Teller,1B (BT 2005) The Templiers in Senart, France (20 miles south of Paris) stats n/a
Jake Wald, SS (BT 2000) Fresno (PCL - AAA) .196, 19 hits in 32 games
