Prep Baseball Report

2A Semifinal Roundup



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 By PBR Maryland staff

WILLIAMSPORT V QUEEN ANNES

Silver Springs, MD: Bryce Ruppenthal staked Williamsport to an early lead and Matt Harsh made sure that the early runs were all the Wildcats would need.

Harsh pitched a complete game two-hitter, striking out nine and allowing just three total baserunners, as Williamsport defeated Queen Anne’s, 9-0, in a Class 2A state semifinal at Montgomery Blair High School.

Williamsport (21-4), making its 12th state tournament appearance, will face La Plata Monday at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen at 3 pm.

After both sides went hitless the first two frames, Bryce Byers and Caden Keplinger earned walks off Queen Anne’s starter Chase Porter in the top of the third inning. With two outs, Ruppenthal, who struck out in the first, sent the first pitch he saw just over the left center fence for a 3-0 lead. Two errors, two hits and three walks chased Porter in the fourth, as the Wildcats added five runs, only two of which were earned. JP Melby (2-for-3) and Keplinger drove in runs with singles in the inning.

That was more than enough for Harsh, who was in a groove from the start. He struck out five in a row in between the first and second innings, and was perfect until two outs were gone in the fourth when Nick Cintron stroked a single to center. He walked Zach Bednar and allowed a single to Darin Rosebrook in the fifth, but struck out Jeremy Marvel and induced a ground out from Camden Lancaster to strand the bases loaded. He retired the last eight batters, including a strikeout of Rosebrook to end the game.

Queen Anne’s (10-10) was making its first state appearance since 1978. Williamsport has won seven straight and will try to match its season-long win streak of eight in the championship game. They have now posted six shutouts on the season.

WILLIAMSPORT 9, QUEEN ANNE’S 0

Williamsport (21-4)

003

500

1

-

9

6

1

Queen Anne’s (10-10)

000

000

0

-

0

2

3

WP: Harsh. LP: Porter. HR: WP - Ruppenthal. RBI: WP – Ruppenthal 4, Melby, Keplinger, Taylor.

LA PLATA V EASTERN TECH

Silver Spring, MD: Brett Pilkerton led off La Plata’s Class 2A state semifinal against Eastern Tech with a single. Tyler Cook followed with a single, and then Tyler Stockwell had an RBI double.

It just never seemed to end as the Warriors pounded out 16 hits, led by Pilkerton, Cook, Stockwell and Nick Steury with three each, and defeated the Mavericks in five innings, 16-1.

La Plata (21-2) will make its fifth appearance in the state finals, and third in six years, when it faces Williamsport at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen Monday at 3 p.m. The Warriors’ only state championship came back in 2008.

After Stockwell’s first inning double, which drove in the game’s first run, Scott Logue (2-for-3, walk) hit a towering shot to left field for a three-run home run to stake pitcher Jake Hanks with an early advantage. The junior right-hander allowed five hits and one unearned run while striking out five on just 75 pitches for the shortened complete game.

After the Mavericks got one back in the second, La Plata went to work with two outs and nobody on in the third. Quinn Krahling, Steury and Peytyn Gray (RBI) all singled, and Pilkerton drove home two with a triple that just eluded the glove of a diving Jeff Young in right. Young went to the mound in relief of starter Hunter Coppell and Cook greeted him with a triple as well, plating Pilkerton.

After getting one more across in the fourth, the Warriors put a quick end to the game in the fifth, sending 11 batters to the plate. Eastern Tech pitchers walked four in the inning, while Stockwell had another double and Steury added a two-run single that the right fielder missed. Pilkerton completed his productive day with another triple, this time driving in three.

Coppell led the Mavericks (13-10), making their ninth appearance in the state tournament, including second straight, with two hits.

LA PLATA 16, EASTERN TECH 1

La Plata (21-2)

404

17

 

-

16

16

2

Eastern Tech (13-10)

010

00

 

-

1

5

0

WP: Hanks. LP: Coppell. 2B: LP – Stockwell 2. 3B: Pilkerton 2, Cook. HR: LP - Logue. RBI: LP – Pilkerton 5, Logue 3, Steury 3, Stockwell, Gray, Cook, Fitzsimmons.

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