Big Train Play KING-Sized Role in All-Star Win

Tuesday, July 22, 2008
by Zach Stone and Jason Krakower
e-mail the Big Train writers at writers@bigtrain.org!
Box Score


All the stars were out tonight at Shirley Povich field for the fourth annual CRSCBL All-Star game. After falling behind 4-0, the West All-Stars came all the way back to win 8-5.

Scott Schneider (Big Train, Saint Mary's CA) pitched a perfect inning to start the game for the West. He induced two ground-outs, and struck out former CRSCBL batting champion Mike Celenza (Bombers, Salisbury) swinging.

The East starter countered with a scoreless inning of his own. Scott Swinson (Orioles, Maryland) retired the West hitters in order, with help from right-fielder Todd Eskelin (Express, Cal State Northridge), who caught Ryan Mulligan's (Big Train, Saint Mary's CA) drive on the warning track up against the wall. The East got on the board in the top of the second inning, with an unearned run. With one out in the inning, Eskelin reached first on an error by third baseman Michael Cipolla (Big Train, Saint Mary's CA). Next, Justin Wright (Big Train, Virginia Tech) allowed the first hit of the game, a sharp single to right-center by Tim Reeves (Redbirds, George Washington), which advanced Eskelin to third. With two outs, Kyle Obal (Express, Temple) laced a single to right, making the score 1-0 East. The inning would end there, however, as a great throw by Tommy Grandieri (Aces, Pennsylvania) nabbed Obal at second.

After a 1-2-3 inning by Nick Routt (Orioles, Mississippi State), the East went to work against Jaeson Hudnall (Braves, Urbana) in the top of the third. After a quick out, the rally began with an infield single from Adam Skonieczki (Redbirds, Buffalo), followed by a Gerald Hall (Orioles, Old Dominion) walk. Celenza singled up the middle, scoring Skonieczki and moving Hall to second. A walk, RBI groundout, and a single by Reeves plated two more runs, and the East was up 4-0.

Cory Toth (Orioles, Old Dominion) worked a scoreless bottom-of-the-third inning, surrendering only a walk to Cipolla.

In the fourth inning, it looked like the momentum had turned for the West. Cody Walden (Aces, Armstrong Atlantic) pitched a perfect top half of the inning, and then the West bats began to come alive, led by the Big Train. Back-to-back walks by Mulligan and Jordan King (Big Train, Meridian CC) were followed by another single by CRSCBL batting average leader Danny Stienstra (Big Train, San Jose State). Despite loading the bases with nobody out, the West could not scratch a run across. East pitcher Austin Hurd (Express, Towson) fielded a weak grounder from John Skaggs (Aces, Wayne State) and forced Mulligan out at home for the first out, then got Luke Adkins (Big Train, Mississippi State) to ground into an inning-ending double play.

After missing a golden opportunity, the West offense made sure to cash in on their next chance, in the fifth inning. Jordan Cudney (T-Bolts, Belmont Abbey) shut down the East offense, opening the door for the West to make a comeback. East reliever Jack Amidei (Bombers, Mesa State) lost his control, hitting the first batter of the inning, and walking the next two. An RBI ground-out and another walk pushed a run across and reloaded the bases. King took advantage, knocking in two runs with his single to left.

The West tacked on two more runs, one on a passed ball, and the last one after a single by Skaggs, to take the lead, 5-4.

Another run-scoring single from King increased the West's lead to 6-4 in the seventh inning.

King, who went 2-3 with a walk and 3 RBIs, was named the game's MVP.

"These guys are unbelievable pitchers. They've got disgusting stuff; I was just focusing on making good swings," he said. "I was just trying to sit on the fastball, and I got a fastball in on both [singles]."

The West went on to add two more runs in the eighth, with a key RBI single by Mike Lang (T-Bolts, Rutgers).

With a four run cushion heading into the ninth, the game looked safe for the West. Manager Sal Colangelo decided to bring in relief ace Matt Hiserman, (Big Train, San Francisco) he of the league-record 0.00 ERA and 0 walks, fame. After making his first start of the season on Saturday, Hiserman might have been fatigued. After striking out the first batter he faced, he hit two batters in a row, and then allowed a run-scoring single to Hall. This set up a clash of the league's best pitcher versus last year's batting champ.

With two outs, two runners on base, down by three runs, Celenza stepped up to the plate against Hiserman. The Bombers' star, and the potential game-tying run, launched a blast to deep centerfield...but it was reeled in on the warning track, ending the game.

The teams did play out the bottom of the ninth inning, to let some more players into the game. The West sent some pitchers up to bat. As Jordan King said, "They've been trying to get an AB all year, and we wanted to get everyone involved."

The West team had an unmistakably green feel. Twelve of the 28 team members are Bethesda Big Train players. According to manager Sal Colangelo, the team's success (27-11 record) "shows the character of our team. If you look at our stats top to bottom, we could have done [even] more."

2B: Hernandez
3B: None
HR: None

WP: Cudney
LP: Amidei

Game Notes: James Periera (Express) managed the East All-Stars (Bombers, Redbirds, Express, Orioles), while Sal Colangelo (Big Train) managed the West All-Stars (Aces, Big Train, Braves, T'Bolts)...Attendance was 813...The CRSCBL welcomed Banjo Man to Shirley Povich Field...The special All-Star edition raffle raised over $400...Andrew Brouse (Aces) won the third annual CRSCBL Home Run Derby...Hungry for Music was the gamenight sponsor, and they brought a number of special baseball CDs and songs.

For full Big Train individual stats, click here.
For league leaders, click here.
For league and Big Train team stats, click here.

Big Train Weekly Report

Week of June 28 through July 5 (all stats prior to Sunday's game)
by Bryan Oringher

Just(in) (W)Right: Big Train starting pitcher Justin Wright (Virginia Tech) was named the Big Train's third Player of the Week after a great week on the mound when he went 2-0 with only two earned runs allowed in his ten innings of work. On the season, Wright is undefeated in five starts, as he is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA. In 22 innings of work, he has struck out 18 while giving up only 15 hits and six earned runs.

They're not saying "Booooo", They're saying "Drewwwww": Drew Lee (Morehead State) got off to a slow start with the bat, but he sure turned it around when his parents came to town. On Thursday, the starting shortstop went 2-for-4 with both of his hits being solo homers to carry the Big Train to a 2-1 win. On Saturday, he played another huge role offensively as he went 3-for-5 with 3 runs, an RBI, and another homer. Additionally, his daring steal of third base in the bottom of the ninth with one out set up a Danny Stienstra walk-off single with two down. Despite hitting only .241 on the year, Lee is slugging .494, good for second on the team, and leads the team with six homers.

He's the (Hiser)man: Matt Hiserman (San Francisco) has pitched in a way this summer that right now has him in line for the best season by a Big Train pitcher ever. Just look at the numbers: Hiserman is 2-0 with seven saves, and has allowed NO runs and NO walks in 19.1 innings of work, while striking out 23. Mixing in a change-up, curveball, and absolutely ridiculous slider to set-up his fastball, Hiserman has had opposing hitters begging for mercy-or at least that he doesn't come out of the bullpen-all summer long. (*Note: Hiserman's stats are the only in this report updated through Sunday*)

King of the Diamond: Second baseman Jordan King (Meridian CC) has been a model of consistency for the Big Train this season, and his steady production has made him appear to be the Big Train's regular number three hitter. King is hitting .304 (17-for-55) on the summer, and has posted .431 on-base and .446 slugging percentages.

Ex-ZACH-tly What the Doctor Ordered: Despite hitting almost exclusively in the lead-off spot, Zach Kim (San Francisco) leads the team in runs batted in (RBI) with 17. Kim has provided a little bit of everything for the Big Train this season-a .305 batting average, .396 OBP, .453 SLG, 6 steals, and a perfect fielding percentage.

These First Baseman's Mitts are Made for Walking: First-baseman Danny Stienstra (San Jose State) has displayed a keen batter's eye at the plate, as he leads the team with 15 walks and a .472 on-base-percentage. He's no slouch with the bat either, as he's second on the team and third in the league with a .366 batting average, and on Saturday, he went 3-for-3 with a walk-off single.

Great Scott!: Super utility-man Scott Schneider (Saint Mary's CA) has been most dominant on the mound, where he's 4-0 with a 1.66 ERA and 23 strikeouts in almost 22 innings of work. He's also 8-for-20 on the year with the bat. Schneider has seemingly been spotted almost everywhere on the field this season, which begs the question: might manager Sal Colangelo decide to give Schneider the opportunity to attempt to play all nine positions at some point during a game? We shall see...

Homer Hits the Streets!

The Big Train and Homer helped christen the new Bethesda Little League on Saturday, April 12th. Homer was joined by several dignitaries including Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett who threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The Big Train was proud to support the new league and was responsible for funding the brand new fence that will serve as the league's outfield wall at North Chevy Chase Park.

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