Written by Jack Stashower

The Bethesda Big Train defeated the Gaithersburg Giants 9-7 on Saturday at Shirley Povich Field, improving their record to a league best 18-6.

The Giants entered Saturday’s contest with a 5-20 record. Their last game was a 9-2 win over the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts at home on Thursday. The Big Train had won their last six games entering Saturday, their last win coming against the Cropdusters at First Responder Field on Thursday.

The first run of the game came in the bottom of the second inning. A double down the left field line by Logan Ponnett (UNC Charlotte) brought home Emilio Gonzalez (Florida Atlantic) to give the Big Train an early 1-0 lead. 

That lead wouldn’t last long for the Big Train. With runners on second and third, Andrew Holub (Iowa) hit a single, bringing in Aidan Marino and Brady Powell (Radford) to give the Giants a 2-1 lead in the top of the third.

The Big Train would score two runs in the bottom of the fourth to retake the lead, the first coming off a sacrifice fly to center by Parker Corbin (Maryland), scoring Josh Skowronski (Winthrop). Later in the inning, a wild pitch brought Ponnett home for his second run of the game. 

Bethesda’s starter Drew Bellis impressed in his five innings on the mound, striking out seven while only giving up two runs in his winning appearance. 

“Drew is a great pitcher,” Big Train Head Coach Sal Colangelo said. “He sets the tone when he’s on the bump and it gets our guys excited and pumped up ready to compete.”

In the bottom of the fifth, the floodgates opened for the Big Train. Skowronski started the scoring with a triple to deep right field, scoring Brennon Wright (South Alabama) and Gonzalez, making the score 5-2. Skowronski came home easily on a Ponnett single, increasing the lead to four. A throwing error by the shortstop brought Ponnett home to give the Big Train a comfortable 7-2 lead. 

The Big Train would add two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. A throwing error by the pitcher brought home Wright to make the score 8-2. On the next at bat, Ponnett singled to left, bringing Gonzalez home and giving the Big Train a seven-run lead.

Down seven in the top of the ninth, the Giants began an unexpected rally. It started with Marino scoring on a wild pitch, decreasing the lead to six. Collin Hughes (VCU) followed that up with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Brady Ruiz-Weiss (Yale) to make it 9-4.

Down to their final out, the Giants kept their foot on the pedal. With the bases loaded, Cade Hentz (Jacksonville) hit a short single to right field, bringing home Holub. Aaron Babaev (San Mateo) did the exact same on the next at bat, singling in Nate Hawton-Henley (Maryland) and Ryan Maxey (St Johns River State) to decrease the Big Train lead to two. But that was all the Giants could muster up as the Big Train went on to escape the inning and win the game 9-7.

Ponnett finished the day with an impressive 4-for-4 at the plate, notching three RBIs and scoring twice himself. Big Train reliever Jordan Capuano (Frederick CC) also impressed on Saturday, giving up no hits in his three innings of relief and striking out two.

The Giants return home on Sunday to face the Southern Maryland Senators at Criswell Automotive Field. The Big Train will play a doubleheader at home against the DC Grays on Sunday.