End of an era: Goretti wins league baseball title in final game
Fittingly, St. Maria Goretti went out a winner.
With the private Catholic high school set to close its doors for good at the end of this academic year, the Gaels took the field one last time Friday afternoon at home, ready to complete the final chapter in the rich history of Goretti sports.
In the Old Line League championship baseball game, the Gaels blanked Avalon 6-0 to capture their fourth straight league title, finishing the season with a 20-4 record.
"The word 'last' is something we tried to avoid this baseball season," Goretti coach Greg Eversole said. "I don't want to use the word 'last.' I want to use the word 'best' -- best players, best field, best fans, best season, best memories. And it all culminated in an ending for Goretti that is bittersweet."
For Goretti baseball, it was the conclusion of a remarkable four-year run in which the team compiled a 78-12 record, rivaling the boys basketball team for being the school's showcase sport.
Baseball: Goretti coach Greg Eversole selected for state hall of fame
"This is a product of years of paying it forward," Eversole said. "It's been a process of building each year and the Goretti community buying what we're trying to do as a program.
"We were 17-2 (in 2021) and then add a 21-4 (in 2022) and then do a 20-2 (last year) and now a 20-4. Tell me another high school that's done that sequence. These kids get the credit. They work hard. They work hard in the offseason. They play travel ball. They get good instruction, and they want to excel, and it's amplified in how many kids in our senior group that are heading to college (to play baseball), six of our seven.
"You see the support we get. It's just a tremendous thing that has happened. We've kind of almost transitioned to be a baseball school here at Goretti, as well as a basketball school."
In a couple weeks, there will be no more Goretti.
Business as usual
On Friday, there was no hint of any gloom or doom in the air as Goretti uniforms were worn for the final time.
It was business as usual for the Gaels, who had a league title to win.
Garrett Gibson and Colin Fulmer combined to pitch a four-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts, Parker Sweeney hit a two-run homer and an RBI double, Will Oates had two hits, including a solo home run, and Warner Harper added a solo blast.
After the final out, the Gaels celebrated with a dogpile in the infield.
"These kids are competitors," Eversole said. "You can't teach the competitive nature that they have. They just get on the field and play it."
Field of dreams
Eversole, 74, takes great pride in his players as well as the home field on which they compete.
"You look at the facility that we've created through the help of a lot of Goretti family members. It's one of the finest high school baseball fields in the county, in the area, and there are some good fields out there," he said. "I do spend a lot of time here, and former coach Kim Kell, we coached together, he comes over and helps me. We're the field crew. It's bittersweet that I won't be on my tractor doing my circles around the infield. We won't be here picking up trash that people leave."
Eversole had a strong crop of underclassmen this year and new recruits ready to join.
"We're graduating those seniors, but we weren't going to skip a beat," he said. "We had people lined up to come in.
"We had things set up to move on, but God has a different plan, and we have to honor him. We honor him in all that he's given us here. Final blessings are from him."
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: St. Maria Goretti wins Old Line League baseball title
