Game MPSSAA Class 1A Baseball Regional of round Round 2

Following a pair of first round byes, the Western Tech Wolverines, the three-seed in 1A North II, traveled to take on the two-seed Pikesville Panthers. Both teams came into the game with an 8-7 regular season record, and both teams most recent games were loses to the Randallstown Rams, with Pikesville losing 6-5 at home on May 1 and Western Tech losing 2-0 on the road on May 5. The Wolverines opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. With runners on second and third, following Jamie House reaching on a dropped third strike and Connor Brown singling, cleanup hitter Wyatt Lemmerman layed a bunt down the first base line and reached safely. In the bottom of the inning, Pikesville responded in a big way. Kairee Williams reached on a fielders choice and scored after the ball got into center field when stealing second and then out of play when he took third. Pikesville scored their second run when Richie Carlton walked with the bases loaded and Michael Payne reached on an error. After the Wolverines struck out three times in the top of the second, Isaac Garonzik drove in Pikesville fourth run on an RBI single in the bottom half. Both teams went down silently in the third, but the Wolverines scored in the fourth inning. Anthony Slaughter flew out to center field, scoring Wyatt Lemmerman, but Harlan Sammons was thrown out trying to take third on the play. In Pikesville's half, Spencer Evans singled into left field to drive in two runs. Isaac Garonzik singled into left field and both he and Evans took an extra ninety feet on an error by Wolverine left fielder Anthony Slaughter. Evans scored on a single by William Holaday and Garonzik scored on another by Richie Carlton. Holaday scored on a flyout by Michael Payne, but Richie Carlton was thrown out trying to take third on the play. Western Tech's Connor Brown and Wesley Henry scored in the top of the sixth on a double from Harlan Sammons, but that would end the scoring for Western Tech in this matchup. Pikesville tacked on some insurance in the bottom of the sixth. Karron Gamble drove in a run on a fielders choice, while Max Levin and Ian Davis picked up an RBI each as the duo got back-to-back singles. This game finished with the Panthers taking down the Wolverines with a 12-4 final. Michael Payne picked up the win for the Panthers, throwing 56 pitches in four innings, giving up four hits, one earned run, and six strikeouts. For the Wolverines, Travis Knipe was tagged with the loss, throwing 93 pitches in 3.1 innings, giving up six hits, five earned runs, four walks, and four strikeouts. While this marks the end of the road for Western Tech, the Panthers are slated to travel to Liberty High School in Carroll County to take on the 15-1 Lions in the Regional Championship next tuesday.