THE GAZETTE
Page B-4
Wednesday, August 7, 2013 d
Big Train wins regular season for sixth time in nine seasons For fifth straight year, Bethesda and Redbirds play for tournament title n
BY
NICK CAMMAROTA STAFF WRITER
For as unpredictable as the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League’s regular season was during this 2013 summer campaign, the League Championship Series final featured the same two clubs for the fifth season in a row: the Bethesda Big Train and the Baltimore Redbirds. Despite having a remarkable nine of the league’s 12 teams finish with a record above .500, the Big Train won the regular season title for the sixth time in nine seasons and the Redbirds capped back-to-back championships with a 4-1 win against Bethesda on Sunday. Thus ended another season of summer baseball — an especially successful one for Montgomery County teams. “Our goal every year is to win the regular-season championship,” Big Train manager Sal Colangelo said. “That’s what’s important to us and our club and we did it again. And if we can win the tournament, then we can. But in the tournament, any time a team gets hot anything can happen.” The Redbirds didn’t lose a game en route to their championship while Bethesda fought through the loser’s
BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE
The Bethesda Big Train’s Ryne Willard celebrates with teammates Thursday after hitting a home run against the Rockville Express. bracket to reach the final. Bolstered by dynamic pitching — fronted by Bubby Derby, who led the league in wins, earned run average and strikeouts — and a balanced offense, the Big Train finished the regular season with a 30-14 record. After congratulating his players on
a good season following Sunday’s loss, Colangelo promptly stated, “now it’s recruiting season again.” Indeed, the Big Train have developed a reputation for attracting premiere talent from across the nation — this year’s roster featured players from Washington state to Florida and many states in between.
While not featuring as geographically diverse a roster, the Gaithersburg Giants did quite well for themselves in their first year in the league. Transitioning from the Maryland Collegiate Baseball League to the CRCBL, the Giants finished in third place with a record of 26-18. Even though they were bounced in the first round of the LCS, Jeff Rabberman’s club made quite the initial impression. “I felt we could definitely compete,” Rabberman said. “Everybody in the league has talent. It’s those other things, those intangibles, that really make the difference throughout the summer. The guys, though, were a joy to work with every night. They really got along well and I think we have a great foundation for the future.” Rabberman cited the Giants’ season-opener against the Big Train, the first time they beat the Big Train and a 12-inning walk-off win against the Vienna River Dogs as his three enduring memories from the season. Josh Ingham was a force at the plate, while Robin Mowatt headlined a deep pitching staff. Another Montgomery County team that enjoyed success was the Rockville Express. Managed by Rick Price in his second year at the helm, the Express finished 25-19 and secured a playoffs spot with a win on the season’s final day. Rockville was eliminated by Bethesda in the LCS, but still managed to record its second consecutive win-
ning season with Will Kengor finishing second in the league in batting average. “We had a big turnover from last year and we were up against it a lot,” Price said. “These teams were very good. It was a very balanced league, but the last two years, the Express has won more games than anyone else in this league.” A team that’s hoping to soon post the win totals of the three aforementioned Montgomery County clubs is the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts, who were managed by first-year coach Doug Remer. The Thunderbolts ranked third in the league in attendance (among teams who reported their statistics) and Remer said he was encouraged by his young ballclub’s performances en route to a 13-31 record. “I think there was effort for every game this season,” Remer said. “The effort was there, I just think there were some key situations where experience might have benefitted us more.” Overall, local CRCBL coaches sounded pleased not only with the performance of their own teams, but with the competitiveness of the league as a whole. “Every year it’s going to continue to get better,” Rabberman said. “It’s not going to be long before the Cape Cod League and the Ripken League are mentioned in the same breath.” ncammarota@gazette.net
Blake grad uses Terps softball to balance out heavy academic load BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN STAFF WRITER
Sometimes a talented high school athlete makes the difficult decision to opt out of intercollegiate athletics to meet the demands of a rigorous academic course load because only a select few athletes have a future in professional sports. Mechanical engineering would certainly be one of those college majors that might require too much time to balance with an NCAA Division I sport. But former James H. Blake High School softball third
baseman Bridget Hawvermale doesn’t know how to do things halfway. The junior has already taken enough credits in two years to be considered a senior in program that takes many five years to finish. The remarkable diligence and determination which Hawvermale applies to all aspects of her life sets her apart from the typical student-athlete, University of Maryland, College Park coach Laura Watten said. Fundamentally Hawvermale, who led Blake to its only state tournament appearance in 2010, is a skilled softball player, Watten said. But most athletes vying for a spot in a Division I softball program can throw, catch, hit and run the bases better than the average player. Hawvermale, who said she
lineup of an NCAA Division I softball team is no easy task, especially for a freshman or sophomore. When an opportunity presents itself, it’s imperative to take advantage. Hawvermale, who received the “Terp Award” for having the highest gradepoint average on the softball team, did just that in the latter part of the 2012-13 season and put herself in position to contend for a starting spot again in the fall. When injuries forced Watten to shift things around, Hawvermale, whose versatility has made her a valuable utility player, presented herself as the best choice to fill in a vacancy that opened up in the outfield, Watten said. Hawvermale, who batted .286 with 13 runs scored in 14 starts, said she intentionally
focuses on strengthening all aspects of her game in order to the type of player who can fill in wherever needed. Her work ethic and team-first attitude is contagious and made her a leader even as a freshman, Watten said. “[Hawvermale] was very aware of the fact that all she needed to do was make it impossible to take her out of the lineup and that’s pretty much what she did. She’s an athlete and she can step in and fill any role we’ve asked and she’ll do it with a big smile on her face and not question anything or worry about anything. We could probably put her in any position other than pitching,” Watten said. Hawvermale, who returned on July 20 from a three-week solar engineering class in China,
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might have a little more free time if she stepped away from softball, but juggling the two demanding entities keep her balanced, she said. Plus, how many people realize a childhood dream? “Hard work pays off, I guess. Sometimes I have to take a step back, this is what I’ve always wanted. I feel like my softball career has come full circle, from being a 6-year-old fan to seeing young girls and talking to them,” Hawvermale said. “Engineering and a Division I sport is like a life commitment. In D-I sports they talk a lot about sports psychology and having an outlet. When I’m tired of softball I have school and when I’m tired of school I have softball.” jbeekman@gazette.net 1890471
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was the Terrapins’ No. 1 fan growing up, had something in addition to her softball prowess that caught Watten’s attention. “Bridget is someone we actually knew because she came to our camps so we got to see her. You want kids who want to be part of your program and will do anything they can do to be a part of the program. Bridget always wanted to go to Maryland. She came in with a lot of pride and a lot of passion for helping the team and helping the team grow. She has one of the best work ethics of any kid I’ve coached. She’s just a kid that absolutely came in and had a desire to make an impact in whatever role she’s asked to be in and those were the things that really [stood out],” Watten said. Breaking into the starting
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Hawvermale’s versatility has been valuable to the University of Maryland softball team
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