The Southern Maryland Senators pulled off a huge 7-6 win against the Bethesda Big Train for game one of the League Championship Series Semifinals.
Big Train's ace, Adekide Adetuyi, was on the mound, who had only given up one earned run all season; therefore, the Senators knew that they had a challenge ahead.
However, that did not stop them from fighting until the very end. Both teams quickly got on the board in the first inning.
Southern Maryland scored first when Logan Tribble (Wofford) caused a pick off, which allowed Nick Flores (VCU) to score.
Big Train then fired back after Josh Skowronski hit an RBI single to score Alex Peltier.
The score remained tied until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Big Train scored two runs to take the lead. They proceeded to add another run in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings.
Even so, the Senators battled, keeping the game within reach.
They scored one run in the sixth inning when Steven Kraus (Binghamton) hit a lead-off double, advanced to third, and came home on a Carter Groen (LaSalle) RBI double play. In the seventh, they scored another run. With the bases loaded, Danny Surowiec (Boston College) came up to bat, but catcher's interference was called, sending Flores home.
The ninth inning arrived, and despite being down to their last strike with two outs, Southern Maryland managed to score four runs in the inning.
It was a bases-loaded walk by Groen that gave the Senators some hope. Then, the very next batter, Jax Nichols (Motlow State CC), hit a line drive to center field, which caused an error, allowing all three runners on base to score.
A one-run lead was all the Senators had as they entered the bottom of the ninth. Tyler Mitchell (Norfolk State) came back out to the mound after coming in for Bryce Harder (Wofford). Mitchell shut things down, leading the Senators to a game one win.
The Senators are back in Bethesda as they are the home team, looking for another win to advance to the best-of-three Cal Ripken League Championship Series.
