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Cody Brown (Mississippi State) accounted for five runs in Sunday's victory over Vienna. |
Cody Brown (Mississippi State) seemed to be everywhere in Sunday night's 8-5 victory over the Vienna River Dogs.
Facing a one-run deficit in the bottom of the first inning, he stepped up to the plate with two runners on base (both of whom walked) and two outs.
Brown then roped a double down the left field line, driving in both Clayton Daniel (Jacksonville State) and Allen Smoot (San Francisco) to take a 2-1 lead. Justin Morris (Maryland) followed Brown with a double of his own, stretching the lead to two runs.
The Vienna River Dogs responded quickly, putting up a three-spot in the third inning to retake a one run lead. Daniel, Smoot, Vinny Esposito (Sacramento State), and Brown led off the bottom half of the third with a single, walk, double and single respectively to grab a 5-4 lead. Brown added the third run of the inning, sixth of the game, with tremendous base running on a wild pitch that dribbled no further than 10 feet away from the catcher. The right fielder broke for home without any hesitation and beat the throw by a hair.
He finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored. three RBIs and a beautiful diving catch, robbing Vienna of an extra-base hit in the second inning.
FIve of the Big Train's eight runs, including all two of Brown's three RBIs, were scored with two outs in the inning.
"We just had everything working, all cylinders working," Brown said. "Everyone was locked in at the plate and we had big timely hits."
Daniel joined Brown with two hits on the evening. He scored twice, walked once and drove in a run.
Starting pitcher Chris Monaco (Virginia Tech) couldn't find the same luck from the mound. He continuously pounded the strike zone, not walking a single batter, but six hits allowed four runs (three earned) to cross in his three innings of work.
Matthew Herzog (Louisburg) took over for Monaco in the fourth inning. He struck out four batters in 3.1 innings, allowed one run while picking up his second victory of the season. Relieving Herzog in the seventh inning was submarine throwing Stephen Schoch (Appalachian State). Schoch allowed just one hit and picked up the save.
"Pitching was great tonight," Brown said.
The Big Train will travel to D.C. to take on the Grays tomorrow at 5:30, their last game before the All-Star break.