The 2024 Cal Ripken Sr. League Champion Bethesda Big Train. Photo by Brandon Lauchnor

By Taylor Bretl

The Bethesda Big Train dominated the Southern Maryland Senators in game two of the Cal Ripken Sr. League League Championship Series 12-3, completing the sweep and winning their 11th league title. This win marks their second consecutive title and their sixth in the last seven seasons.

Bethesda carried their late-inning momentum from Wednesday night’s win straight into Thursday’s first inning, putting up six runs within the first three outs.

Within nine pitches, the scoreboard lit up. Justin Nadeau (Jacksonville) launched a leadoff double, with Andrew Williamson (Central Florida) following it up with a single up the middle to drive in the game’s first run.

Later in the inning, after Luke Vaughn (Alabama) drew a walk, Davin Whitaker (East Carolina) seized the moment, smashing a two-run-triple into deep right field to extend the lead to 3-0.

Another walk, this time by Matthew Westley (Virginia Tech), put runners on the corners. Kenan Bowman matched Whitaker’s energy, blasting a triple of his own into right field to push the score to 5-0.

The Big Train batted around, with Nadeau capping off the inning by driving in the final run, ending the frame with a commanding 6-0 lead. After tacking on another run in the second to make it 7-0, the bats fell silent through the third and fourth innings.

Turning over to the fifth and sixth innings, Bethesda reignited their offensive onslaught, scoring five more runs and extending their lead to a dominant 12-0.

In the bottom half of the sixth, the Senators rallied, scoring three runs. Nate McHugh (Creighton) ignited the offense with an RBI double, followed by Braeden Purser-Eber (Middle Tennessee State) keeping the momentum alive with a two-run double to make it 12-3.

The Senators' bats went silent for the rest of the game however, as Brandon Cassedy (George Mason) took the mound. In a dominant two-inning performance, Cassedy, who won a title last summer in Bethesda as well, allowed two hits and struck out five, sealing the championship victory.

In the postgame ceremony, Williamson was awarded League Championship Series Most Outstanding Player. In his two games in the championship, the left-handed slugger went 6-for-11 with three runs scored, an RBI, and three stolen bases.

Journeying from Florida up to Bethesda, Maryland for the summer, WIlliamson spoke on what it meant to come out on top after a hard fought season. “It meant a lot you know, we’ve had our ups and downs this season and we were able to show up whenever it counted and it meant a lot to win.”

“Being able to get up early is huge, especially when you have good pitching on the mound,” said of their big six-run first. “Getting a lead early is big so it meant a lot tonight.”

The Big Train finished off the year going 5-0 in the playoffs, outscoring their opponents 58-14 over the span. This victory marks the Big Train’s 11th CRSCBL championship, showcasing the dominance they have brought to this league.