Written by Jack Stashower

The Bethesda Big Train defeated the Metro South County Braves 12-0 on Sunday at Shirley Povich Field.

The Braves entered Sunday’s contest last in the North Division with a 9-21 record. Their last game was a 10-9 win at home over the Alexandria Aces on Saturday.

The Big Train came into the game top of the North Division with a 22-7 record. Their last game was a 9-4 loss to the Alexandria Aces at Frank Mann Field on Friday. 

Alex Peltier (East Carolina) led off the game for the Big Train with a single to left-center. Following that, a single by Brennon Wright (South Alabama) put runners on the corners with Josh Skowronski (Winthrop) due up at the plate. He delivered, hitting a bloop single to left bringing home Peltier and the first run of the game.

With no outs on the board, an error by the shortstop brought Wright home on the next at-bat, making the score 2-0. Matthew Westley continued the rally with a double to right field, bringing home Skowronski and the Big Train’s third run. A groundball hit by Peyton Steele (Alabama) brought home Emilio Gonzalez (Florida Atlantic), increasing the lead to four. To end the inning, a throwing error by the catcher brought home Westley for the Big Train’s fifth run of the inning.

The Big Train showed no mercy by continuing their offensive surge in the bottom of the second. With two runners on, Skowronski hit a single to left, bringing home Peltier to make the score 6-0. Gonzalez followed that with his own single to left, scoring Wright and Skowronski, the seventh and eighth runs of the game. 

The Big Train added one more in the bottom of the third off of Wright’s sacrifice fly to left, scoring Parker Corbin (Maryland). In the bottom of the fourth, John Martinez (Florida Atlantic) hit a double off the Povich Field scoreboard, bringing home Steele and the Big Train’s tenth run of the ballgame. 

Meanwhile, Big Train starter Drew Bellis (Central Florida) shut down the Braves in his five innings on the mound, striking out 10 and giving up no walks or runs in his winning appearance. 

In the bottom of the sixth, the Big Train added one more to their tally on Dylan Murphy’s (Florida Atlantic) sacrifice fly to center, which scored Steele to make it 11 straight runs for the Big Train. 

Pitcher Cole Ketchum (Ole Miss) shined in his three innings of relief for the Big Train, striking out five and giving up no walks, hits, or runs. Ketchum began the season as a starting pitcher, but has appeared more out of the bullpen in the later stretch of the season. 

“Some pitchers are comfortable in certain situations, a starting mentality is different than coming in for two-to-four innings,” Big Train Head Coach Sal Colangelo said after the game. “He’s been brilliant there, he did a nice job today.”

In the bottom of the eighth, the Big Train ended the game on run-rule via a Murphy single to left-center, scoring Martinez and the winning 12th run of the game. 

Both teams are back in action on Monday. The Braves return home to South County High School to face the Southern Maryland Senators while the Big Train hit the road to face the DC Grays at Woodbridge High School.