News

McKay, Mark Nowatnick (Florida Atlantic), and Walker Sheller (Stetson) combined to allow just one run on four hits while striking out thirteen River Dogs. Vienna didn’t muster a hit until the sixth inning, when Nowatnick couldn’t cleanly field a grounder that went in the books as an infield hit. Despite losing the no-hit bid, the pitching staff dominated throughout the rest of the game. After McKay’s five innings of no-hit ball, Nowatnick pitched three innings, allowing just one run while striking out five. Sheller came on in the ninth and struck out two River Dogs to close out the game.

Big Train got on the board early, after Matt Toscano (St. Mary’s, Calif.) led off the third with a single to shallow left. After Toscano moved to third with one out, Cody Brown (Mississippi State) lifted a fly ball to left that was deep enough to score him and Big Train took a 1-0 lead.

Held to just the one run early, Bethesda had an opportunity to break through in the sixth, as back-to-back singles by Zach Kirtley (St. Mary’s, Calif.) and Chris Lewis (Sacramento State) and a one-out walk to Justin Morris (Maryland) loaded the bases. Toscano then delivered a double to deep left center, scoring all three runs easily and pushing the Big Train lead to 4-0.

This was all the offense Bethesda would need, as their pitching staff’s strong performance led them to their fourth straight victory.

Notes: Big Train is now 18-3 on the year, which is the best mark in the Cal Ripken League…McKay struck out six batters in five innings, and has 18 strikeouts on the year…Kirtley had two hits to raise his average to .351…Big Train heads to Alexandria on Tuesday to take on the Aces at 7 p.m.…they return home Wednesday night against the D.C. Grays at 7:30 p.m.