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With the 2019 Maryland High School baseball season just underway and games right around the corner, we begin to close out our complete preseason coverage with a look at every conference throughout that state. We will break down each conference with a preview of teams expected to contend as well as key players from across the league that you won't want to miss play. 

Note: A preseason questionnaire was sent out to all Maryland high school baseball coaches in Mid-January to gain pertinent information for this piece but not all forms were completed and returned. Below is a compilation of information received as well as thoughts from our staff at PBR Maryland.

 

Players to Watch in the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference

Alex Baily (Fallston)
Josh Bogdan (Fallston)
Eric Brettschneider (CM Wright)
Troy Cherwaty (Elkton)
Kenny Dollenger (Rising Sun)
Bobby Duffy (North Harford)
Austin Ellis (Aberdeen)
Matt Fino (Bel Air)
Austin Goudeaux (Bo Manor)
Alex Gresock (Havre De Grace)
Justin Gue (North Harford)
Tyler Hayden (Bo Manor)
Mill Heinze (North Harford)
Caleb Heymann (Patterson Mill)
Calen Kampes (Rising Sun)
Drew Kalista (Fallston)
Paul Keeney (North Harford)
Luke Kelly (North Harford)
Sam Macatee (North Harford)
Angel Magana (Elkton)
Kyle Miller (North East)
Kyle Moody (Fallston)
Mike Newsome (Perryville)
Austin Oliver (Elkton)
Cael Orem (Perryville)
Connor Pickle (Fallston)
Ryan Pickle (Fallston)
Nate Reed (Harford Tech)
Jason Rodriguez (Edgewood)
Jouseph Rodriguez (Edgewood)
Austin Rohlfing (Bel Air)
Jay Rose (Harford Tech)
Julio Sanchez (Harford Tech)
Nick Santoro (Patterson Mill)
Tyler Schimming (Bel Air)
Brennen Schneider (Harford Tech)
Michael Segreti (Patterson Mill)
Christian Shertzer (Patterson Mill)
Ethan Shultz (Patterson Mill)
Parker Smith (Harford Tech)
Braden Soos (Patterson Mill)
Jacob Spurlock (CM Wright)
Jackson Stockstill (North Harford)
Josh Stocum (Bel Air)
Gavin Tereszuk (Elkton)
Hunter Wright (CM Wright)

 

Chesapeake Division

Teams
*Bel Air Bobcats
Patterson Mill Huskies
Rising Sun Tigers
North East Indians
North Harford Hawks
Fallston Cougars
C. Milton Wright Mustangs

*Denotes 2018 Division Champion

 

Susquehanna Division

Teams
*Elkton Elks
Bohemia Manor Eagles
Harford Tech Cobras
Perryville Panthers
Havre de Grace Warriors
Aberdeen Eagles
Edgewood Rams
Joppatowne Mariners

*Denotes 2018 Division Champion

 

2019 Season Outlook

Bel Air ripped through the UCBAC Chesapeake Division in 2018 finishing with an 11-1 record. The Bobcats only loss came at the hands of Patterson Mill (6-0) in an early season ballgame on the road. 18th year head coach John Swanson loses six seniors from last year's Division Champion and 3A North Regional Runner-up team but returns four solid starters including two big arms on the mound. Austin Rohlfing and Tyler Schimming (Wake Tech CC) return as co-anchors of the staff while senior Josh Stocum and junior Matt Fino figure to pace the Bobcats offense in 2019. Newcomers Caden Morris, Evan Giordani, Zach Furrow, and Jordan Reiswig will be looked upon to step into roles vacated by the seniors. Bel Air is competitive year in and year out and should be again with Rohlfing and Schimming on the bump in 2019. Expect to see the Bobcats in contention for a possible repeat late in the season.

The back-to-back defending champion Patterson Mill Huskies (2006, 2007) were the only UCBAC team to defeat Bel Air last season and ultimately finished as the runners-up in the Chesapeake Division with an 8-4 record. 2019's Husky team figures to be young but expect 12th year head coach Matt Roseland to keep them competitive. Patterson Mill loses 60 innings on the mound from Austin Koehn (UNC Greensboro), and offensive leaders Steve Spencer (.365 batting average - Wilmington University), and Max Elliott (.371 batting average - St. Mary's College of Maryland - Basketball) from a year ago. Braden Soos (1.17 ERA) and Christian Shertzer (3.00 ERA) will be looked upon as the leaders of the staff with Peyton Celuch, Lucas Rivera, Mason Smith, and Nathan Vujanic all figuring to add depth and play key parts in the rotation throughout the season. Shertzer, Vujanic, and senior outfielder Nick Santoro return as the only everyday starting position players from last year's team that lost 2-1 to Colonel Richardson in the 1A East Sectional Final. Look for junior Ethan Shultz and Michael Segreti to step up and make big impacts in the lineup this year while newcomers Caleb Heymann and Rey Gutierrez figure to see some early playing time as they look to find a roles in the lineup as well. While young, the smallest school in the Chesapeake Division should never be counted out with their recent track record and history of success. 

Fallston loses 1st Team All-Chesapeake Division selection Everett Cox (.444 AVG) but returns a strong core of upperclassmen that should help them make a serious run for the Chesapeake Division Championship this season. 2nd Team All-Chesapeake Division and 2nd Team All-County junior LHP/OF Ryan Pickle (4-1 W-L, 2.81 ERA in 32 IP) returns to anchor the staff for 9th year head coach Grant Morlock and the Cougars. Joining him as leaders of the staff will be his brother Connor Pickle (1.62 ERA in 13 IP) and California University of Pennsylvania commit Josh Bogdan; who looks healthy after missing the second half of 2018 with an arm injury. C. Pickle, Bogdan, and seniors Drew Kalista (.211 AVG - Harford CC), Alex Bailey (9-14 in 5 games before season ending injury), and Kyle Moody (.278 AVG) figure to play key roles on offense this year and look for Jake Bogdan and Joe Gizinski to get chances early on to solidify roles as some of the top newcomers. The potential to contend in 2019 certainly looks to be there for Fallston so as long as they can stay healthy, we should expect to see them towards or at the top of the Chesapeake Division standings come late April - early May.

North Harford looks like they may contend as well in 2019 with several juniors and senior Paul Keeney returning. Hawks head coach Tim Larrimore enters his 29th season with this bunch and is eager to get North Harford back to the top of the UCBAC stadnings. Juniors Jackson Stockstill and Bobby Duffy will be asked to lead the Hawks both on the mound and at the plate this season. Fellow junior Luke Kelly and Keeney will add depth to a staff that should be able to keep North Harford in ballgames. Junior catcher Mill Heinze (.294 AVG) returns as a key part of the offense alongside Stockstill (.394 AVG), and Duffy (.407 AVG). Look for Sam Macatee (.375 AVG) and Justin Gue (.268 AVG) to get opportunities in the lineup as they look to fill the void left behind by Hunter Leed (.391 AVG), and Derek McManus (.396 AVG - McDaniel College).

North East, Rising Sun, and C.Milton Wright all return some players that could make them contenders in what looks to be a pretty wide open Chesapeake Division in 2019. With Cameron Blankenship, Payton Hoskins (University of Maryland - Eastern Shore), and Colt Price (Messiah College) gone, North East will lean primarily on arm of Kyle Miller to keep them competitive. Rising Sun will be competitive as well with senior LHP Kenny Dollenger (Catawba College) and junior catcher Calen Kampes, and C.Milton Wright will miss RHP Cory Poulsen (University of Maryland - Eastern Shore) but return LHP Hunter Wright, OF Jacob Spurlock, and INF Eric Brettschneider.

The Susquehanna Division on paper seems to be top heavy again in 2019 with Elkton, Bo Manor, Harford Tech, and Perryville looking to contend for the title. Elkton returns a pair of junior infielders from last year's Division Champion team in Austin Oliver (1st Team All-Susquehanna Division) and Gavin Tereszuk (2nd Team All-Susquehanna Division). Senior Troy Cherwaty (2nd Team All-Susquehanna Division) will patrol the outfield for the Elks while 2nd Team All-Susquehanna Division selection as a Freshman, Angel Magana anchors the staff. Bo Manor tied Elkton with a 12-2 division record in 2018 but finished runner-up by virtue of tie-breaking procedures and overall win percentage. 2nd Team All-Susquehanna Division pitcher junior Tyler Hayden returns as the leader of the staff for the Eagles in 2019 and with Josh Heath, Ryan Connolley, and Aaron Crowley having graduated, it will be up to 2nd Team All-Susquehanna Division member Austin Goudeaux to lead the offense for Bo Manor this season. Harford Tech returns a solid core of upperclassmen in 2019 that should help make them very competitive once again for the division crown. All-Suquehanna Division 1st Team members Brennen Schneider, Jay Rose, Nate Reed, and 2nd teamer's Parker Smith, and Julio Sanchez return as key pieces for the Cobras. Perryville could also make some noise with 1st Team All-Susquehanna Division infielder Mike Newsome and senior catcher Cael Orem back for the Panthers. 

 

 

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