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Winners of six straight, the Big Train hit the road again on Saturday to take on the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts for their fourth matchup of the season. But the T-Bolts offensive breakout in the bottom of the sixth was the turning point that led to Big Train’s third loss of the season, as Bethesda fell 10-3.

After stalling the Train in the top of the first, T-Bolt Konnor Palmeira came out swinging to hit a two-run home run to get the home team on the board first.

The top of the second saw Rocco Peppi (Long Beach State) single, advance to second on a stolen base, and score on a Trevor Doyle (Sacramento State) double. Unable to continue the scoring, Big Train went back into the field. The T-Bolts registered zero runs, one hit, and left two on base in the bottom of the second. After two full innings, the T-Bolts led 2-1. 

Heading into the third, three quick outs by Silver Spring-Takoma saw the score hold. With Big Train back in the field, the T-Bolts plated their third run of the night but Luke Baker (Jacksonville) ended the inning with a strikeout. 

The T-Bolts were able to single another batter home in the bottom of the fourth to make the game 4-1. In the next frame, the Big Train returned to the plate to load the bases, but two strikeouts from the T-Bolts pitcher left all three runners on base. Big Train pitcher Zach Locke (Long Beach State) retired three T-Bolts to move into the top of the sixth. 

Big Train brought home their second run of the night on a Kemp Alderman (Ole Miss) single and an error by the third baseman that allowed Peppi to score. The bottom of the sixth saw the T-Bolts explode on offense. Scoring six runs on three hits, including a two-run home run by T-Bolt Tommy Dunleavy, Silver Spring-Takoma extended their lead for a 10-2 ballgame. 

Jack Cone (William & Mary) struck out five of the eight hitters he faced in relief.

A pitching substitution by the Big Train brought Jack Cone (William & Mary) into the game to record a strikeout to end the T-Bolts offensive onslaught.

Cone struck out the side to end the seventh inning, but the Train remained scoreless through the top of the eighth. Three more outs in the field brought Bethesda back up to bat for the ninth. A single from Doyle earned him his second RBI of the night and bumped the Train’s score total up to three. Unable to match the T-Bolts score total, the Train’s six-game winning streak came to an end. 

Trevor Doyle went 2-for-3 at bat with two RBIs on the night. In eight batters faced, reliever Jack Cone had five strikeouts.

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