MPSSAA 2A State Semifinals Recap

Game one of the MPSSAA 2A State Semifinal double-header at Montgomery Blair High School featured the La Plata Warriors from Charles County and the Hereford Bulls from Baltimore County. Three pitchers combined in the game to give up one unearned run in a classic pitcher’s duel. Aaron Winsker went the distance for Hereford scattering six hits while striking out four and Dean Kirby and Ryan Calvert split the game on the mound for La Plata allowing five hits in the shutout.

 The lone run of the ballgame came in the fifth inning as Alex Borges doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch bringing Kirby to the plate with two outs. Kirby ripped a hard one-hopper to second base that was misplayed allowing Borges to score what would prove to be the winning run. Calvert struck out the side in the sixth and retired the side again in order in the seventh as La Plata punched their ticket to the State Championship Game Saturday at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen.

Connor Mann led the Bulls offense with two hits while Borges went 3-for-3 with two doubles and scored the game winning run for the Warriors.

Game two of the double dip showcased the Middletown Knights from Frederick County and the Fallston Cougars from Harford County. This matchup had more scoring as Middletown jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the second and never looked back. Chase Weller singled to open the second inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Paul McHugh. Zach Houck then doubled to center plating Weller to open the scoring. Following a ground out that advanced Houck to third base, Jacob Pryor singled to score Houck and Graham Brown doubled to bring in J. Pryor. The Knights added insurance runs in both the fourth and the fifth to make it 5-0.

 Fallston finally broke through in the sixth when Chris Emm singled back up the middle to score Ben Armstrong who had come in to pinch run for Andrew Noyes after he singled to lead off the frame. Another single by Alex Bailey loaded the bases but Middletown’s starting pitcher Jackson McDaniel wiggled out of the jam getting a pop up to shortstop and a huge strikeout for the final out.

A single by Josh Bogdan and two consecutive walks to begin the seventh gave Fallston some life and another real good opportunity to extend the game but it wasn't to be as Middletown went to the bullpen bringing in Brown to close it out. Brown slammed the door on the Cougars threat getting two pop-ups and a ground ball to second as Middletown defeated Fallston by a final score of 5-1.

Brown (4-for-4, 2B, RBI) and Houck (1-for-3, 2B, RBI, R) led the Knights on offense while McDaniel held the Cougars to five hits, surrendering just one run while striking out three.