Big Train Downs Royals

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE REPLAY OF BOTH GAMES
The East Alabama Big Train defeated the AWBIL Royals 5-3 in the first game and 9-3 in the second game Saturday at Henry Farms. The Big Train now has a very impressive 15-3 record going into a long week of baseball. The Train plays Cobb on Tuesday and Thomasville on Thursday before heading to Columbus for the Independence Day series at Columbus beginning on Friday.

Big Train's 12 game Winning Streak comes to an end.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE REPLAY
Playing in the second oldest ballpark in America (Luther Williams Field), the East Alabama Big Train's 12 game winning streak came to an end. The Train battled back but were unable to score stranded runners as they fell 2-4 to the Macon Giants.
The Giants play in Luther Williams Field, It was built in 1929. Today, it is the second-oldest minor league stadium in the country. The original covered grandstand is still in place, though a new tin roof has replaced the former wooden one. A black iron gate surrounds the field, the front of which says "Macon Base Ball Park."This hearkens back to the day when baseball was the primary source of entertainment in the South as well as the rest of the country. It original tenant were the Macon Peaches but was most recently the home of the Macon Braves, who moved to Rome,GA in 2003. It is always a great experience when modern day players get to play in parks visited and played in by baseball greats.

Big Train Rolls into Cobb with Another Win

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO GAME REPLAY
The East Alabama Big Train is turning Calhoun County, Alabama into "Winnersville, USA". The Big Train won their 12th Straight victory against the Cobb Premier Stars of Marietta.

Big Train Sweeps Nitro in Doubleheader

By Big Train Blog Staff
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO GAME ONE REPLAY

The Big Train defeated the Florence Nitro in a rare Metal Bat double-header at Alexandria on Father's Day. The first game went 9 innings (two extra-innings)in the 100 degree heat but the Big Train pulled out a 14-13 win. The second game was a regulation affair with the Big Train winning 12-7. The Nitro are a non-league opponent which plays in summer tournaments and showcases. These wins marked the 10th and 11th respective wins for the Big Train.

Big Train Rolls up 8th and 9th straight Wins

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO REPLAY
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO GAME TWO REPLAY
by Anniston Star staff
ALEXANDRIA — The East Alabama Big Train jumped out to a five-run lead and then hung on Friday to knock off the World of Baseball Angels, 9-8. It was the eighth straight win for the Big Train. The Big Train defeated the Angels 7-2 the next day to notch their 9th Straight win.

Trio keeps Train rolling

CLCK HERE TO LISTEN TO REPLAY
by Jared Gravette
Anniston Star Sports Writer 15 hrs ago | 47 views | 0 | 1 | | JACKSONVILLE — The trio of Jeremy Dorrance, Judd Edwards and Jono Waugh set the tone for the East Alabama offense Thursday night, as the Big Train steamrolled its way to a 7-5 victory over the Cobb Premier Stars. "We started slow this summer with the bats, but we have gotten on a roll a little bit," Big Train head coach Roberto Martinez said. "We are swinging the bats pretty good of late." East Alabama relied heavily on Dorrance at the top of the lineup, but it was Edwards that got the Big Train on the board in the first inning, legging out an infield single and quickly stealing second base. Waugh followed with a single and also swiped second, putting both runners in scoring position for the Big Train's most dangerous hitter Ryan McCrory.
McCrory grounded out, but it was enough to score Edwards and put the Big Train up 1-0. The trio struck again in the third and fifth innings. With one out in the third, Dorrance doubled and later came around to score on a Waugh double. McCrory then drove in the Oxford product from second with a bloop single that put the Big Train up 3-0. In the fifth, Dorrance doubled once again, giving McCrory a chance to knock in his third run of the game. The Big Train's clean-up hitter did just that, with a single to score Dorrance from third. "All three guys (Dorrance, Edwards and Waugh) had a good approach. That's why I have them at the top of the lineup. All three can run. We like to steal a lot and put pressure on the other team, and they have been successful doing that," Martinez said.
It was another Oxford product that did the majority of the damage in the fifth inning. After Andrew Brooke walked, Saxson Butler crushed a Malcolm Gay pitch off the right field wall, driving in both runners and putting the game out of reach.
The Big Train has won six games in a row and will play every day this weekend at Alexandria High. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. today.

Big Train wins, 12-2

by Anniston Star staff
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
WALESKA, Ga. — The East Alabama Big Train improved to 7-2 with a 7-inning, mercy-rule win over the Winward Rangers, 12-2. Starter Joey Muller, out of Stillman College, picked up the win. At the plate, Qualon Millender was 2-for-4, UAH’s Byne Gooden was 3-for-3 and Saks product and current Auburn catcher Caleb Bowen went 2-for-4.

The Big Train, tied for first in the Great South League West Division, will play at home tonight at Jacksonville’s Henry Farm Park at 6 p.m. against the Cobb Premier Stars.

The Big Train will also play at home through the weekend at Alexandria

East Alabama Completes Sweep

From The Anniston Star- Two Minute Drill
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO REPLAY
The East Alabama Big Train beat the Catawba Valley Stars 10-9, Rallying in the 9th
to tie the game, then pushing across the winning run in the 10th inning. Andrew Brook
was 2 for 2 with two homeruns. His first was a grand slam in the top of the ninth to make the score 9-7. His second came in the top of the 10th for the final margin. Saxon Butler was 3 for 5, Qualon Millender was 3 for 5 and Jono Waugh was 2 for 5. Malcom Thomas who picked up the win, pitched the last four innings in relief, allowing no runs after the Big Train fell behind 9-1 by the second inning. Jeff Poole also pitched 4 innings of shutout relief. East Alabama (6-2) completed the sweep with the win and next plays on Wednesday against the WInward RIngers at Reinhardt College.

Big Train takes pair

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE REPLAY OF THE GAME
Big Train takes pair by Anniston Star staff 1 day 12 hrs ago 148 views 0 0 HICKORY, N.C. — Jono Waugh went 6-for-8 on the day in helping the East Alabama Big Train claim a pair of wins from the Catawba Valley Stars on Saturday.
The Big Train won 7-4 in the first game, then Waugh’s game-tying hit in Game 2 aided a 5-4 Big Train win.
In Game 1, Wellington’s Trey Vice earned the win with four strong innings, allowing just one hit. At the plate for the Big Train (6-2), Qualon Millender scored three runs, while Jeremy Dorrance was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs and Waugh was 3-for-4 with a run.
In Game 2, David White earned the win in relief. Millender singled, moved to second on a bunt, then raced home on Waugh’s single to center field, tying the game at 4. Waugh then scored the game-winning run on a hit from Andrew Brooke. Waugh was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Saxon Butler was 1-for-3 with an RBI and Caleb Bowen 1-for-4 with an RBI.
The Big Train finishes the series today at 5 p.m. in a nine-inning game.

Big Train beats Stars, 3-1

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO REPLAY
Big Train beats Stars, 3-1by Star staff5 days ago 130 views 0 0
MABLETON, Ga. — The East Alabama Big Train defeated the Cobb Premiere Stars 3-1 on Tuesday to improve to 2-2 and second place in the Western Division of the Big South League.
Decatur native Joey Moehler, out of Stillman College, pitched six innings, throwing only 59 pitches while striking out four and allowing no earned runs.
At the plate, Hoover product Andrew Brooke (who will attend North Alabama) was 2-for-3.
Talladega native and University of North Alabama senior Qulon Millender scored the first run in the third inning.
In the eighth inning, Saks product and Auburn catcher Caleb Bowen reached on an error with one out. With two outs, Oxford product Judd Edwards was hit by a pitch. Millender was then also hit to load the bases.
The next hitter Zereka Hall (who will attend Mississippi Valley State) hit a grounder to the shortstop, who errantly threw to first, allowing Bowen and Edwards to score.
East Alabama plays again tonight against the Winward Ringers (a team owned by Howie McCann, father of Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann) in Rheinhart College in Waleska, Ga. at 3:30 p.m. The game can be followed the game on the Web at eastalabamabigtrain.com.

Big Train Wins Another One

Big Train wins another one by Anniston Star staff 4 days ago 216 views 0 0 WALESKA, Ga. — Recent Oxford graduate Judd Edwards led the East Alabama Big Train to a 7-2 win over the Winward Rangers on Wednesday.
Edwards was 3-for-4 with a two-RBI double in the fourth inning that at the time put the Big Train up 5-1.
Starter Tyler Brown got the win, pitching six innings while allowing one run and three hits.
On another Big Train note, left fielder Zereka Hall was drafted in the 29th round. Pitcher Blake Meshaw was drafted No. 776 overall.
The Big Train improved to 3-2 and is currently second place in West Division of the Great South League. East Alabama travels to Hickory, N.C. to play Catawba Valley Stars in a doubleheader on beginning Saturday at 4 p.m. The game will be available at EastAlabamaBigTrain.com.

Big Train splits with Columbus in Season Opener

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO REPLAY OF GAME ONE AND TWO
by Jared Gravette, Anniston Star Sports, Photo Courtesy of the Jacksonville News (www.jaxnews.com)
JACKSONVILLE — The East Alabama Big Train kicked off its 2009 campaign Saturday with a doubleheader split against the Columbus Wood Bats, losing 7-5 then winning 1-0.
In the first game, Columbus got on the board first. With the bases loaded, Ben Inman came through with an infield single, pushing Merit Hicks across the plate to put the Wood Bats up 1-0 in the top of the second.
The Big Train answered in a big way in the bottom half of the inning. Columbus pitcher Iain Sebastian walked the first three batters to set up a three-run double from former Oxford standout Chandler Tyree.
Tyree later scored on a throwing error that was followed by a Jono Waugh single, driving in Qualon Millender from third and putting the Big Train up 5-1.
"We swung the bats well in the first game," East Alabama coach Roberto Martinez said.
East Alabama looked to be in command of the contest behind a strong pitching performance from Trey Vice, but things went south in the top of the fifth.
Vice quickly recorded two outs but then began to tire. The UAB pitcher walked the next three batters before giving way to Adam Polston.
Hicks made the Big Train pay for the free passes, clearing the bases with a three-run double and cutting the deficit to one. Kevin Ruiz then tied the game with an RBI single.
"We got into a little bit of a jam after we were up 5-1," Martinez said. "We gave up a big three-run double that really hurt us."
The Wood Bats pushed two more runs across in the sixth inning after a throwing error to seal the victory.
The Big Train had six hits in the contest, five of which came courtesy of former Oxford Yellow Jackets.
In the nightcap, each starter threw a gem. East Alabama's Kelby Deerman pitched six shutout innings, allowing only two hits. Columbus' Levi Futo matched Deerman pitch for pitch, scattering two hits in five innings.
"(Deerman) is a guy that throws anywhere from 80-to-84. He is a soft-throwing lefty that throws a lot of strikes. He commands all three pitches — breaking ball, changeup and fastball. He got in a jam in the middle of the game and got out of it," Martinez said.
Each team struggled to hit the ball in nightcap. The Great South League uses wooden bats, which is something hitters must adjust to.
"With an aluminum bat, hitters can put a bad swing on a pitch and get away with it. With a wood bat, it teaches them how to hit and how to stay inside of the ball and put the barrel on it the right way. It makes a big difference," Martinez said.
The Big Train did manage to push across a run in the second inning that proved to be the difference-maker.
Ryan McCrory walked to start the inning and later moved to second on a passed ball. After the next two hitters were retired, Jeremy Dorrance singled to push McCrory across the plate.
Deerman, who pitches at the University of Alabama, gave way to JSU reliever Bill Henke in the 7th. Henke walked two hitters but was able to get out of the jam to record the save.
The Big Train is scheduled to finish the series with Columbus today at Henry Farms Park. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. The doubleheader saw 205 people in attendance