Prep Notebook: Four Games, One Win for North Arundel Schools in Baseball Showdown

When began play in its baseball game at neighborhood back on April 16, things did not look good for the home team.

The Knights swiftly fell behind by four runs as the Gophers hammered away at their sophomore pitcher, Koby Overstreet, during a game that was suspended by a sudden deluge of rain.

"We got two outs in the first inning, but they got four runs on us and they got up on us 4-0," said North County coach Wayne Feureherd. "The game ended with two outs at that point in the top of the first, but it was pouring down rain, so they ended up calling it."

The game resumed on Thursday, and the Knights responded to the fresh start, tying the game with four runs in the bottom of the first inning and going on to win 11-10.

The win raised the Knights' record to 4-5 overall and 3-5 in county play. The team perviously lost consecutive games, 9-2 and 8-3 to Islip of New York and Clarksburg, respectively, during last Monday's North Arundel Baseball Showdown.

The Gophers (7-6) entered the game coming off of a 10-8 victory over Clarksburg of Montgomery County, as well as a 14-9 loss to Islip as part of the showdown.

"I think that it was helpful that we were able to start the game back up on Thursday at North County with two outs and the bases loaded," said Feureherd.

"On the second pitch of the re-start, their batter popped up to our right fielder for the third out," Feureherd said. "At that point, to get that quick out, that was a huge momentum boost."

A 5-foot-8 right hander, Overstreet had to be relieved after two thirds of an inning of work during the rain-shortened game.

But Overstreet re-entered for Alex Lombardi in the fifth and got the win, improving his personal record to 2-1 on the year.

Overstreet scattered eight of the Gophers' 16 hits, struck out three batters and walked five.

"Alex had done a great job throwing strikes and keeping us in the game after getting hit around," Feureherd said. "They got up on us 9-4, but we got a couple of hits here and there and were able to go up on them 11-9. It was a pretty crazy game."

Junior first baseman Billy Antlitz had two RBIs, with one RBI each from senior shortstop Kevin Jackson, senior third baseman Zach Bennett and junior center fielder Tyler Simpson.

The Knights' senior catcher Pat Carey had a double RBI and sophomore left field teammate, Matt Prince, a double.

"Matt is having a good year," said Feureherd. "He's hitting close to .400, and he's going to be even better."

Glen Burnie Beats Clarksburg

Glen Burnie's week was highlighed by the win over Clarksburg, during which it overcame an 8-3 deficit in the fifth inning.

The winning pitcher, junior Bernard Frey, was in his first start and helped himself by leading off the fifth inning with a single. He later scored on a based loaded walk, and RBI singles by junior Tyer Gilbert, sophomore Bryan Scheppske and sophomore Ryan Gilbert brought the Gophers within 8-7.

Down by a run in the sixth, Dukeheart tied the game with his third RBI and Nick Valentine nailed a two-run single that accounted for the margin of victory.

North County 11, Glen Burnie 10

         1   2   3   4  5  6    7    R   H  E

GB    4   1   2   2   0   0   1   10  16  4

NC    4   0   0   4   3  0    x   11   9  4

North County Softball Beats Glen Burnie

Nearly a month ago, North County freshman Chynna Boeren was hospitalized after having taken a line drive to the noggin.

"This was something that happened during a preseason game on the second Saturday in March against North Carroll and Chynna got hit on the head by the ball. She was able to block the ball a little bit, but it still grazed her and split her ear open. We had to call an ambulance and send her to [Baltimore Washington Medical Center] with a head injury," said Knights' coach Tommy Thompson.

"It's an injury that a lot of pitchers would have taken a lot more time to come back from because she was hit really hard. But as a young, inexperienced ninth grader and a pitcher at this level, she was able to come back from that pretty good," said Thompson. "That just goes to show her true grit and guts and her gamesmanship that she just wanted to get in there and to do the best that she could for us."

Boeren did just that during her first start of the season in last Wednesday's come-from-behind, eight-inning, 9-8 victory over Anne Arundel County and neighborhood rival Glen Burnie, persevering over the distance by striking out one batter against 13 hits and five walks for her initial triumph of the season.

"Chynna's only our number two pitcher. Our number one pitcher, Brittany Jones, happened to be on break this past week when we played Glen Burnie. So for this girl to step in and play such a huge role was tremendous," said Thompson. "She just came in and did such a great job at it, which shows an awful lot to me about her. The girl has an awful lot of game in her. She's someone who definitely wants to be there."

Following a four-run seventh inning by the Gophers, the Knights' junior Kierra MacBeth blasted a single that scored freshman pinch runner, Sydney McCain, for the game-winner. McCain had stolen third base to set up the sequence.

For the game, McBeth went 4-for-5 from the plate and scored twice as the Knights improved to 7-4 overall, and, 7-2 in the county. She was supported by a defensive effort keyed by teammates including junior shortstop Ashley Deltuva.

"Ashley made two sensational defensive plays that helped secure the game. One was in the eighth inning, when she dove for a line drive off the pitcher's glove with a girl on third base," said Thompson. "This stopped the girl from scoring and going and kept Glen Burnie from getting ahead of us. Ashley also made the same type of play in the seventh with two outs to save the game at that time."

Junior Kate Helmick went 2-for-3 with a triple, a double, two RBIs and scored once, and sophomore Nicole Merriman went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Knights scored three times in the bottom of the first, getting McBeth's lead-off bunt single and Deltuva's follow up hit, after which they both scored off of Helmick's triple. Helmick then scored for a 3-0 lead off of a single by junior Krystin Elliot.

Although the Gophers tied the game with a three-run second inning, the Knights, nevertheless, received a sterling effort from right fielder Kayla Hanes, who threw out a runner at second "with a great play on a fielder's choice," said Thompson.

The Knights regained a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth after Merriman singled, advanced on an error, and scored off of McBeth's single to left field. Haynes then sacrificed McBeth home.

A three-run fifth inning had the Knights ahead, 8-5. That started with Helmick's lead off walk, followed by her advancing to second on a wild pitch.

Elliott then walked, stole a base, and moved forward on a wild pitch that scored Helmick. Senior Chrissey Shives then walked and advance on a wild pitch that scored Elliott, after which Merriman hit into an infield fly ball which scored another run.

On the year, Helmick leads the Knights with a .571 batting average, 13 RBIs and 11 runs scored to go with four each in doubles and triples and a home run.

Jones is batting .464 with six RBIs, five doubles and four runs scored, and Deltuva, .357 with nine runs scored, five RBIs and two triples.

MacBeth is hitting .321 with six runs scored, Kayla Haynes, .306 with four runs scored and two each in doubles, triples and steals, and Merriman is hitting .304. Shives has a .300 batting average with five RBIs.

The Knights play host to Northeast on Wednesday and Meade on Friday before traveling to Chesapeake on May 2 and Glen Burnie on May 4.