It was a game that would have taxed almost any pitching staff.
For 12 innings Osbourn tried in vain to hold off Princess Anne in last year’s Group AAA state final. The Eagles just didn’t have anything left to give against the Cavaliers’ relentless lineup, watching an eight-run lead slip away early and a pair of one-run leads slip away late in a heartbreaking, 11-10 loss.
One year later, Osbourn has 14 players back from the team that twice needed just one more strike to win the school’s first state title. The top-ranked Eagles (14-0) have power and speed. They play solid defense and don’t give away runs. But what Osbourn has in abundance now — and what it could have used against Princess Anne — is a pitching staff with the depth to endure the grueling postseason.
“We’re able to save our arms a little better now,” said Osbourn senior starter Tony Pasquariello, the Cedar Run District player of the year last season. “If one guy is struggling — something everyone goes through at some point — there is always someone fresh there to take over. That’s a big help.”
The Eagles earned a preview of what that depth could help them accomplish when they won the prestigious Hawaiian Tropic Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C. over spring break. They allowed just 13 runs in six games against some of the top teams from around the country. Osbourn handed Chesapeake private school Greenbrier Christian Academy its first loss of the season, 8-1, in South Carolina.
The addition of Stonewall Jackson transfer Chris Boggs has been a key. Boggs was 7-4 for the Raiders last season and, after a midseason suspension, returned to help Stonewall reach the state semifinals. He allowed just five hits in the semifinal loss to Princess Anne.
Boggs, a senior, is 5-0 with a 2.47 ERA and 53 strikeouts for the Eagles. Junior Brett Howell, the son of Osbourn coach Keith Howell, has been effective primarily as a reliever. He is 2-0 with a 2.69 ERA in 13 innings. Pasquariello, the most valuable player at the Hawaiian Tropic tournament, is 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA and has struck out 48 batters.
“We understand what it is going to take to get back [to the state final],” said Osbourn coach Keith Howell. “They’re still young. But they have the confidence you need.”
Flying high
» Osbourn is ranked No. 25 in the country by Baseball America.
» Senior right-hander Tony Pasquariello has always been known as a control pitcher. But he has taken that moniker to the extreme this season. In 33 innings Pasquariello has yet to walk a batter.
» Junior Sean McCauley has been Osbourn’s top hitter so far. The Potomac transfer is batting .600 with 23 RBI and five home runs in just 40 at-bats.
