For Calvert Hall, it wasn?t the perfect season, but it was the perfect ending. The Cardinals claimed their fourth straight Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference baseball title with a 2-1 victory over Spalding at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen.
The Cardinals (26-7) weren?t nearly as dominant this spring as they were last year when they went a Maryland-record 33-0, but still claimed the school?s 22nd title overall and 16th since 1976.
Calvert Hall senior right-hander Mike Dillon (9-1) allowed three hits to go along with 12 strikeouts and sophomore Pat Fitzgerald provided the decisive hit with a run-scoring single in the fifth inning that plated Mike Blackwell, who entered the game as a courtesy runner for catcher Luke Sawyer.
“Mike?s been the bulldog for us since his sophomore year,” Calvert Hall coach Lou Eckerl said.
“We were just trying to get a win and finish this four-peat,” Fitzgerald added.
Spalding (28-8), which had just one hit the final five innings, wasted a terrific performance by senior pitcher Jeff Kemp, who allowed just six hits in six innings.
Though winning championships has become common for Calvert Hall, it had been 15 years since Boys? Latin claimed a conference title. But on Thursday, the Lakers, who are managed by former Orioles shortstop Mike Bordick, won the MIAA B Conference crown with a 3-2 win over Park School.
Boys? Latin senior pitcher Devon Jerrard (7-1) gave up seven hits to go along with three strikeouts and three walks to lead the Lakers (21-5) to their third victory over Park (13-8) this season.
Leading 2-1 with one out in the fifth inning, Paul Mellinger doubled and stole third base before coming home on Jerrard?s sacrifice fly to center. Park pulled to within 3-2 in the sixth when Rex Geld scored on a single by Alec Ring.
MPSSAA STATE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Where: Ripken Stadium, Aberdeen
- Admission: $8, under 7 free
- When: Today
- 1A: St. Michael?s vs. Harford Tech, 1 p.m.
- 2A: Marriotts Ridge vs. South Hagerstown, 4:30 p.m.
- 3A: Patapsco vs. La Plata, 7 p.m.
