The scene was all too familiar for Arundel High baseball fans.
The Wildcats (22-3) jumped out to a 5-0 advantage at Prince George?s Stadium on Tuesday, before Quince Orchard (Montgomery County) cut the lead to two.
The last time the pair met, Arundel let a seven-run lead slip away in an eventual 10-9, walk-off loss in the 2005 4A state title game.
Tuesday in Bowie, Arundel used three home runs among 12 hits to hold on, 9-4, earning a berth in Friday night?s 4A championship game at Ripken Stadium.
Junior first baseman Shawn Pleffner did his part with a pair of towering home runs that challenged the back advertising wall at the Bowie Baysox home park.
“He?s a great hitter. I think at some point in time, he?s probably going to have a serious career beyond high school,” Arundel head coach Bernie Walter said. “He?s got a great swing and he?s got serious power.”
Senior right fielder Corey Overholtzer also hit a home run, a three-run blast to deep right-center in the Wildcats? four-run second inning.
The minor league park didn?t prove daunting to Arundel?s batters, or sophomore pitcher Tyler Hibbs, who threw a six-strikeout complete game for the win.
“It?s pretty fun,” Hibbs said on the field after Tuesday?s win. “You just think that you?re in the minor leagues when you?re out here. The fields are perfect, and the mound was perfect when I was pitching out there.”
Walter was close to pulling his starter a number of times late in the game, but ultimately, his faith in his 5-feet-10 right-hander paid off.
“He?s a great competitor,” Walter said. “[Quince Orchard] made some comments last year when he pitched that they knew he was going to choke, and I think he made sure that didn?t happen today.”
Quince Orchard (21-1) snapped a 34-game winning streak.
“They?re going to be sorely missed,” Cougars coach Jason Gasaway said of his senior class that lost just three games in four years.
Walter indicated that 6-feet-4 right-handed senior Joel Roberts will start in Friday?s state title game.
“I think this is a very special team,” Walter said. “When they come to play, they?re a very difficult to beat.”
CLAWING FOR A 10TH TITLE
» Arundel is a nine-time state champ, with titles in ?76, ?77, ?81, ?87, ?91, ?93, ?95, ?98 and 2001.
» Arundel will play the winner of Tuesday night?s semifinal game between C. Milton Wright and Eleanor Roosevelt on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen.
» The otherthree state-title games are slated for Saturday at Ripken Stadium. The 1A game at 1 p.m., the 2A game at 4:30 p.m. and the 3A game at 7 p.m.
» Orchard?s senior class features six college commitments: Eric Weller (Towson), Andy Moldawer (Catholic), Matt O?Keefe (Salisbury), Kevin Collins (Towson), Matt Filderman (IUP) and Mike Celenza (Salisbury).
