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RECAP: Big Train Shut Out Grays, Retake North Division Lead
By David Schurter
After a brief two-day pause in games for the NACSB Prospect Games followed by a road win at Southern Maryland on Wednesday night, the Bethesda Big Train returned to Shirley Povich Field Thursday night and shut out the D.C. Grays, 5–0. Bethesda improved to 14–5 to move back into first place in the North Division, while the Grays dropped to 6–14.
Both teams would be held scoreless through the first three innings, until the Big Train struck for all five of their runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The scoring began with an RBI single from Carter Cunningham (East Carolina), followed by a two-run single from Jason Schiavone (JMU) to make it 3–0. Dean Toigo (Cypress College) would score on a wild pitch to make it 4–0 and Schiavone crossed home on a groundout to first by catcher Nick DeLisi (East Carolina) to complete the scoring.
The Big Train pitching staff managed to keep the Grays off the scoreboard the entire game, starting with Brandon Cassedy (Christopher Newport), who allowed just two hits oer five shutout innings with nine strikeouts. Griffin Stieg (Virginia Tech) would pitch the next three innings, allowing only two hits with three strikeouts, and Darin Kuskie (South Carolina Upstate) would close out the magnificent performance from the pitching staff with a scoreless ninth.
The Grays had several chances to put themselves on the scoreboard, but could not capitalize on those opportunities. Right away, the Grays loaded the bases in the top of the first inning, but back-to-back strikeouts ended their threat and chance of scoring first.
In the top of the sixth, the Grays loaded the bases again with one out, but a line drive right to the second baseman Lucas Phelps (Florida Atlantic) started an inning-ending double play at second base to end another scoring chance for D.C.
Following that missed opportunity, the Grays would load the bases once again in the top of the seventh, this time with nobody out, but once again, a strikeout and a double play ended the threat.
In the top of the ninth inning, the Grays had one last chance to start their comeback effort as they loaded the bases for the fourth time with only one out. But a fly ball to right field ended up being the final blow for the Grays as the runner was thrown out at the plate, ending the ballgame and sending the Big Train fans home happy with a 5–0 win.
Up next, the Big Train will host a double-header against the Metro South-County Braves on Friday while the Grays will travel to Southern Maryland to take on the Senators.
