High School Baseball: Century Drops Game to County Leader

Westminster took a big step toward the county baseball championship with an 11-5 victory over Century.

Westminster was playing a doubleheader Monday, as they took on county foe Francis Scott Key in a later game.

The Knights had runners in the game as they received 11 walks, but only came through with six hits in the game. Century also had problems holding onto the ball as they had four errors in the game, three in one inning which allowed the Owls to score three runs.

"I thought we shot ourselves in the foot a little bit there," said Century coach Jamar Garner. "It’s always hard to play when you are so far behind, trying to fight back. I’m proud of them for fighting back but at the same time we can’t give ourselves a big hole and expect to come back and beat a good team."

Westminster jumped out to a 6-0 lead after the first inning. The Knights came right back to score four runs in the top of the second.

"That’s been a concern of ours. Their freebies. They are things the other team doesn’t do to get on base. To get where we want to go, we have to really cut don on that. I don’t why, It was a beautiful day, but ti concerns me," Owl coach Bryan Harman said about the walks.

The inning started with the Owl shortstop Brandon Nelson booting Nick Schaffer’s grounder. Andy Stansfield followed with a walk to put runners on first and second. Zac Green moved them up abase with a single to right to load the bases.

Tyler Fellner knocked the ball to right, which Westminster’s right field Ryan Robinson fielded and threw the ball to second to force Green for the first out as Schaffer scored.

Matt Bioro kept the inning going with a walk. Logan Ryder struck out for the second out. Starting pitcher Dan Virbickis singled to right center which drove in two runs. He stole second on a 2-2 count on Michael Austin. Austin worked Owl pitcher Brandon Taylor for a walk to load the bases again. Kyle Brandt followed with another walk to force in the fourth run of the inning.

"When we had people in scoring position we didn’t knock them in. To beat a good team you have to do everything right. Those little things right there we need to get done," said Garner.

The Owls scored single runs in the second and third innings, before collecting three more in the sixth inning. The Owls were helped around the bases by the Century three errors.

Century scored their final run in the top of the seventh on a single to center by Green.

"We still have some things to work on. Hopefully we can get some good practice time in here and keep on getting better," said Garner.

Century is 4-8 in the county and 6-8 overall.

Green collected two of the Knights five hits. The others were by Austin, Virbickis, Fellner and Schaffer. Austin’s hit was a double. He came into the game batting .625.

"I am wearing sunglasses and sweating that’s good," said Harman said about having a dry, sunny day.

In other action in Westminster, the Owls defeated the Century softball squad 5-1. Century falls to 5-4 in the county and 8-4 overall. The Owls improved to 5-3 in the county and 6-4 overall.