Baseball playoffs: Clear Spring one win away from repeat state championship

Tuesday, May 23

1A semifinals

Clear Spring 4, Pikesville 1

The Blazers are one win away from repeating as state champions.

Logan Helser and Damien Pittsnogle had key RBI hits in a three-run fifth inning that broke a 1-1 tie, Dawson Kehr pitched an effective 4 1/3 innings and Hutson Trobaugh closed the door on the Panthers at McCurdy Field.

Clear Spring (17-2-2) will face Colonel Richardson — a 6-4 winner over Northern Garrett in Tuesday's other semifinal — on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf.

It will be a rematch of last year's final, won by Clear Spring, 11-3.

And the Blazers will have the memory of teammates Kannon Shives, Tyler Josenhans and Clayton Knode on their minds, nine months after they died in an auto accident.

"They're locked in, for sure. This was our mission, to get back here after everything," said Clear Spring coach Brandon Glazer. "This is a group that's stuck together, and when they say family, they mean family. They've been through a lot, but they've leaned on each other and this is a tough group, tough as nails."

The Blazers scored the go-ahead run with the help of a pair of Pikesville errors. Lane Poffenberger led off and reached on an infield throwing error. Trobaugh followed with a double to deep center but got stuck between second and third when he expected Poffenberger to try to score, but Poffenberger held up at third. They got out of jail when another errant throw got past the catcher to the backstop, with Poffenberger scoring and Trobaugh safe at third.

Helser followed with an RBI single to left that took a wicked hop over the third baseman. Pittsnogle then drilled an RBI double to the fence in left center.

Panthers starter Jack Millman, who entered the game with a team-best 1.53 ERA, was solid through the first four innings, allowing an unearned run on two hits and three walks while striking out three.

"He located his fastball away, and his slider was right off of that," Glazer said of Millman. "He did a great job mixing and keeping us off balance. We did a good job hitting the fastball those couple of times — Damien ran into one, Helser ran into one — and those guys are geared up for it. The middle of our lineup is what we've leaned on all year."

Pikesville took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning after Kehr walked two straight batters on four pitches each with one out. With two outs, Michael Hagan punched an RBI single to right.

Clear Spring tied the game at 1 in the bottom half. Trobaugh led off with a single to right and Tyce McConnaughey laid down a good sacrifice bunt and reached safely on a throwing error as Trobaugh advanced to third. Helser followed with a sacrifice fly to left.

"Tyce getting down a key bunt there in the beginning of the game," Glazer said. "That was huge to get us going, answering right there in the first to get one back."

Kehr's stat line — 4 1/3 innings, three hits, four walks and a hit batter allowed, three strikeouts — was underwhelming, but he only gave up the one run.

"I just think tonight he had a little trouble commanding the zone," Glazer said. "He's been in those situations last year and this year, and he's a guy we've leaned on all year. He's a guy we've gone to again and again and again. ... He gutted it out. Obviously, he did not have his best stuff on this biggest stage in a semifinal. To do what he did, kudos to him."

Hayden Muir entered in relief in the fifth with one out and runners on first and second. He got out of the inning on a double play.

Muir struck out the first batter in the sixth, but when Ian Davis singled to center, Glazer wasted no time giving the ball to his ace, Trobaugh. The lanky lefty, who entered the game with a 0.64 ERA, promptly struck out the last two hitters of the inning with pure gas and finished with four strikeouts in his 1 2/3-inning save.

Friday, May 19

1A state quarterfinals

Clear Spring 19, Edmondson-Westside 0

Braedan Wade and Aiden Schwartz combined to pitch a perfect game, and the Blazers (16-2-2) turned 10 hits, 11 walks, three hit batters and four Red Storm errors into an easy five-inning victory over an opponent that was outmatched in every facet of baseball.

“We had two mentally exhausting games before this,” said Clear Spring coach Brandon Glazer, whose team edged top-seeded Catoctin 3-0 in the West region final after outlasting Brunswick 4-3 in 11 innings in the semifinals.

“Brunswick gave us a good one, and Catoctin, that was extremely difficult. Give credit to these guys for continuing to stay locked in for the playoffs so far. We’d like to do that moving forward. We’re just looking at the next one, and we’ll prepare the same way we always do. We’ll have a good practice tomorrow and make sure our arms are ready.”

On Friday, Clear Spring erupted for 11 runs in the bottom of the first. Hutson Trobaugh led off with a triple, and in his second at-bat of the inning, hit a three-run homer. Dawson Kehr also hit a three-run homer in the frame.

The Blazers, the defending state champions, added seven runs in the second, even as they began to intentionally back off, and then one more in the third.

Logan Helser had two hits in the win, and Braeden Wade drove in three runs.

Wade got the start on the mound and struck out seven batters in three innings. Schwartz worked the final two, striking out three.

Clear Spring will face Pikesville in the semifinals Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.

“We’ll just be focused on playing our game,” Glazer said. “Whoever we got going on the mound that day, we’ll attack hitters and we’ll try to play solid defensively and keep swinging the way we do.

“The Brunswick game and the Catoctin game, we saw two tough arms, but our swings were good and we’re looking forward to doing that again next week.”

3A state quarterfinals

River Hill 6, North Hagerstown 1

Henry Zatkowski had a big day on the mound and at the plate, leading the Hawks past the visiting Hubs.

Zatkowski allowed one run, four hits and two walks while striking out 12 in 5 1/3 innings. He also went 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI.

North (16-5-1) scored its lone run in the top of the third to tie the game 1-1, getting consecutive two-out singles from Luke Frazee, Dylan Shoemaker and Henry Ortiz.

River Hill immediately answered with five runs in the bottom half, including a two-run homer by Demetre Koutras.

Frazee finished with two of the Hubs’ six hits.

Ortiz pitched a complete game in the loss, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out seven.

Tuesday, May 16

1A West Region II final

Clear Spring 3, Catoctin 0

The defending state champion Blazers are returning to the state tournament.

Hutson Trobaugh pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings with seven strikeouts, Damien Pittsnogle hit a pair of two-out RBI singles and Logan Helser added his own RBI single as second-seed Clear Spring (15-2-2) knocked off the top-seeded Cougars (18-2-1) on the road.

"That's veteran leadership," Blazers coach Brandon Glazer said of the clutch hits and pitching. "They've put in the work and I had no doubt in those situations they would come through."

Clear Spring will host Edmondson-Westside in a state quarterfinal Friday afternoon.

Clear Spring's three runs were the first earned runs allowed by Catoctin starting pitcher Joseph McMannis this season.

The Blazers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Tyce McConnaughey worked a one-out walk, stole second and scored on Pittsnogle's first RBI single.

In the third, McConnaughey worked a leadoff walk, took second and third on wild pitches and scored on Helser's single.

"Tyce changed the game a little bit on the bases with his speed, and that helped Logan get more opportunities," Glazer said.

In the fifth, Trobaugh hit a leadoff single and took second on McConnaughey's sacrifice bunt, setting up Pittsnogle's second RBI single.

"(McMannis) was throwing me all sliders, so I had to make the adjustment with two strikes to quicken my hands to the ball," Pittsnogle said. "We were expecting all fastballs but we made the adjustment."

Catoctin put runners in scoring position in four of the first six innings, making Trobaugh work hard through his 105-pitch outing. He allowed five hits and four walks but made key pitches in the clutch.

Trobaugh gave up a pair of one-out singles in the first inning before closing the frame with two strikeouts.

With runners on second and third following a double with two outs in the third inning, Trobaugh got a swinging strikeout on a slider to end the threat.

In the fifth, a two-out infield error led to runners on the corners, but Trobaugh again got a strikeout to end the inning.

"They're a good team," Trobaugh said of the Cougars. "I just followed the game plan and trusted my guys. The game plan was to just go right at them. We've been here before. We don't have any fear. Just playing catch with my catcher, forget about the runners and trust in my teammates,"

"Hut was Hut," Glazer said. "He deserves a lot of credit. He's been a horse for us for two years. You can see the dedication to his craft and he was lights-out again."

Hayden Muir relieved Trobaugh and got a popup to strand Catoctin runners at first and third to end the sixth. He allowed a one-out single in the seventh, but got a key popup on a high fastball that would have been ball four for the second out, and a groundout to third ended the game.

3A West Region I final

North Hagerstown 7, Thomas Johnson 6

Up until Tuesday afternoon, the No. 2-seed Patriots were a thorn in the No. 1 Hubs’ side. Twice during the regular season, TJ defeated North.

This time around, the Hubs escaped with the victory, clinching a spot in the state quarterfinals. North will travel to face River Hill on Friday at 4:15 p.m.

“Honestly, I don’t know, we came with a lot more energy today,” North coach Justin Lewis said. “Just turn it up a notch and I think we just focused and came out successful.”

Things got a little close for comfort in the final inning, as a six-run Hubs lead turned into a one-run game. Relief pitcher Lucas Strickland was throwing strikes, but the Patriots kept getting hits, scoring five runs.

During a visit to the pitcher’s mound, Lewis told Strickland to keep doing what he was doing and pound the zone. Strickland got the final out in time to preserve the victory.

Tied at 1 after three innings, a five-run fourth broke the game open for North. Aden Hose doubled home Carter Conroy and Fletcher Lewis. Luke Frazee's single drove home Ian Kelley and Hose. Mac Stiffler then walked with the bases loaded for a 6-1 Hubs lead.

Stiffler pitched 5 2/3 innings and struck out 11 for the win, allowing one run and five hits. Henry Ortiz went 3-for-3 with a walk.

“Just one game at a time,” Lewis said. “That’s how we’re looking at it, one game at a time. The next game is the most important game of the year, just like this was the most important game of the year.”

Saturday, May 13

1A West Region II semifinals

Clear Spring 4, Brunswick 3

With two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning, Dawson Kehr looped a single into left field, and Logan Helser scored from second with a headfirst slide, sending the host and defending state champion Blazers into the region final.

Second-seed Clear Spring (14-2-2) will travel to face top-seeded Catoctin (18-1-1) on Tuesday.

Kehr connected on an 0-1 pitch from Brunswick reliever Tyler Lowery. Helser, who drew a leadoff walk to start the inning, was running on contact. The throw home had to be blocked in front of the plate, allowing Helser to slide across behind catcher Sam Verosto with the winning run.

"I was looking for a fastball in my zone. I got a slider, but I stayed on it and poked it into left field," said Kehr.

"You could see their perseverance, and having been here before, they knew what to do," said Clear Spring head coach Brandon Glazer.

Clear Spring ace Hutson Trobaugh moved from center field to the mound after Brunswick's Colin Pearre led off the eighth inning with a single. Trobaugh, who has signed with Division I Old Dominion, was brilliant over four innings to earn the win, allowing just one walk while striking out nine.

Kehr started for the Blazers and pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out nine. He was tagged for all the runs in the third inning, then settled in.

"The first couple innings, I was struggling to get my (plant) foot down," said Kehr of the rainy conditions. "Then I found my rhythm after they scored those runs, and that's when it clicked. I was just focused on pounding the zone and making them hit the ball."

A key moment came in the fifth inning, when Kehr got out of a bases-loaded jam with a strikeout to end the threat and preserve the 3-3 tie.

"Three fastballs down the middle, and he couldn't touch it," Kehr said.

Clear Spring took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Brady Wallace hit a leadoff single and later scored on Kehr's RBI double off the fence in deep left, which missed being a home run by inches.

Brunswick answered with its three-run third. With one out, Dylan DeLawder walked and Koltin Boyer singled. RBI singles by Jonathan Dysinger and Oliver Ellison scored the first two runs, and Colin Pearre's groundout scored the third.

The Blazers tied the game at 3 with two runs in the bottom half off Ellison. Trobaugh hit a leadoff single and Tyce McConnaughey walked. An infield error allowed Trobaugh to score, and with two outs McConnaughey scored on a passed ball.

Ellison was brilliant in a nine-inning start for the Railroaders (9-11), allowing one earned run on six hits and one walk while striking out seven.

"It was a gutsy performance by both sides," said Glazer. "Hats off to (Brunswick coach) Roger (Dawson) and his crew. We were able to get the key hit at the end."

Catoctin 6, Williamsport 0

Peyton Castellow pitched a shutout with 10 strikeouts, and the top-seed Cougars (18-1-1) eliminated the Wildcats (8-13-1).

3A West Region I semifinals

North Hagerstown 9, Linganore 3

Dylan Shoemaker went 3-for-4 with a double, Carson Casey also had three hits, and the No. 1-seeded Hubs got strong performances on the mound from Henry Ortiz and Lucas Strickland to advance to the region final with a victory over the No. 5 Lancers.

It was the first playoff victory for second-year head coach Justin Lewis.

“Last year, we lost to these guys in the first round so it feels good to get this one,” Lewis said.

North (15-4-1) went up 3-0 in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single by Casey and a two-run single by Fletcher Lewis.

In the second, Mac Stiffler singled in a run and then scored on an error, upping the lead to 5-0.

Dylan Remphrey hit a solo homer for Linganore in the fourth, and the Hubs got the run back in the bottom half on an RBI single by Ian Kelley.

After the Lancers cut it to 6-3 in the fifth, North immediately answered again, loading the bases and getting a sacrifice fly from Carter Conroy to make it 7-3.

The Hubs added two more runs in the sixth. Lewis stole home, and Aden Hose, who stole second and third, scored on a sacrifice fly by Luke Frazee.

“We were probably two hits away from running away with that game,” Justin Lewis said. “We had runners on a couple times and didn’t get the big hit. But we ended up scoring nine runs anyway.”

Ortiz pitched four innings for the win, allowing three runs, four hits and three walks while striking out seven. Strickland followed with three scoreless innings of relief, giving up only two hits with one strikeout.

North will host No. 2 Thomas Johnson in the region final Tuesday.

“It’s one game at a time,” Justin Lewis said. “That’s what I keep preaching. ‘Win the next one, win the next one.’ I’m not looking too far ahead.”

Thursday, May 11

1A West Region II quarterfinals

Clear Spring 9, Boonsboro 1

The No. 2-seeded Blazers (13-2-2) began their state-title defense with a victory over the No. 7 Warriors (4-15).

Starting pitcher Braeden Wade went 4 2/3 innings to earn the win, allowing an unearned run, four hits and four walks while striking out five.

Tyce McConnaughey had two hits, including a double, two RBIs, two stolen bases and two runs scored for Clear Spring.

The host Blazers led 2-1 before breaking the game open with a four-run fourth. They added two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth.

Also for Clear Spring, Brady Wallace hit a solo homer and Logan Helser and Lane Poffenberger each drove in a run.

For Boonsboro, Wyatt Jervis hit a pair of doubles and scored the team’s lone run. Losing pitcher Mattie Koeneke also had two hits.

The Blazers will host No. 3 Brunswick (9-10) in the semifinals Saturday.

Williamsport 7, Smithsburg 1

Drew Lever pitched a gem and Wyatt Divelbiss had two hits, including a double, and three RBIs to lead the fifth-seeded Wildcats (8-12-1) past the No. 4 Leopards (8-13).

Lever went 6 2/3 innings, allowing no runs, two hits and one walk while striking out 13.

The game was scoreless until Kaden Jackson hit a two-run homer in the top of the fifth. Williamsport scored two more runs in the inning and then three more in the sixth to go up 7-0.

Matt Downs and Brady Romsburg each had two hits for the Wildcats, Gavin Sprout and Reid Bowman each drove in a run and Lever tripled.

Smithsburg scored its lone run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning on a solo homer by Trey Norton.

Isaac Grove had the Leopards’ other two hits.

Williamsport will travel to play No. 1 Catoctin (16-1) in the semifinals Saturday.

Brunswick 10, Hancock 0

Colin Pearre pitched a one-hit shutout with four walks and eight strikeouts, and Koltin Boyer went 3-for-3 with a triple and a double, leading the third-seeded Railroaders past the No. 6 Panthers (4-12) in five innings.

Brooks Norris had the lone hit for visiting Hancock.

1A West Region II quarterfinals

Thomas Johnson 6, South Hagerstown 0

Jacob Hnath pitched six shutout innings, and Ty Allen had two hits and two RBIs as the second-seeded Patriots (13-5) advanced to the semifinals with a win over the No. 7 Rebels (2-17).

South was held to three hits — singles by Hunter Finkenbinder, Isaiah Licorish and Jahmere Franklin.

Licorish went the distance on the mound, striking out seven.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Washington County high school baseball playoff roundup