Welcome
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Clear Spring's Bender a star among stars
Clear Spring’s Eric Bender did it again, earning MVP honors in the Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic’s Diamond Stars game Tuesday, a day after he was named MVP of the Elite game.
In the 15th anniversary of the Classic, he became the fist player to ever win both MVP awards.
On Tuesday, Bender led the National team to an 8-5 victory over American, going 2-for-3 and driving in four runs. His four RBIs tied an event record.
The all-star games featured players from Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
Several local players contributed to Tuesday’s victory.
South Hagerstown’s Tyrese Collazo had two hits and an RBI, while fellow Rebel Prince Proctor drove in a run, stole a base and scored twice. Greencastle-Antrim’s Caiden Smith added an RBI.
On the mound, Grace Academy’s Toby Hollar pitched two scoreless innings, while Smithsburg’s Devin Bollinger and Davis Lowman, Clear Spring’s Brooks Aleshire, Chambersburg’s Blaine Wilson and Grace’s Ian Klick each pitched one shutout inning. Bollinger, Aleshire, Wilson and Klick each had two strikeouts.
For the American team, North Hagerstown’s Austin Dent had two hits, an RBI and two stolen bases, Jefferson’s Zach Rose had a double and an RBI, and North’s Ryan Talbert and Heritage Academy’s Will Oates each singled and scored a run.
North’s Craig Clark pitched a shutout inning with three strikeouts, while fellow Hub Cooper Strickland and Jefferson’s Riley Vadasz each worked a scoreless inning on the mound.
Clear Spring's Bender leads National past American in MABC Elite game
Clear Spring’s Eric Bender was named MVP of the Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic’s Elite Game after hitting a go-ahead, three-run triple in the fifth inning to give National the lead for good in its 9-5 victory over American in Monday’s high school all-star game at Municipal Stadium.
The game featured players from Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
Several local players contributed to the win. Smithsburg’s Josh Black had two hits and a stolen base, Williamsport’s Eddie Lough and Greencastle-Antrim’s Caiden Smith each singled, drove in a run and scored, Williamsport’s Andrew Kelbaugh singled, stole a base and scored, South Hagerstown’s Prince Proctor walked, stole a base and scored and South’s Tyrese Collazo singled.
St. Maria Goretti’s Cam Moats pitched two innings for the American team, tying the Elite Game record with four strikeouts. He also hit a double and scored a run.
Also for American, Jefferson’s Riley Vadasz doubled and drove in two runs, Goretti’s Jason Rivera singled, scored a run and pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts, Goretti’s John Hill had a hit, Jefferson’s Kamien Gonzalez and North Hagerstown’s C.J. Hart each had an RBI, Martinsburg’s Jack Reisenweber singled and pitched a scoreless inning and Martinsburg’s Shine Knotts also singled.
2021 MABC American Elite Stars
2021 MABC National Elite Stars
Boonsboro's Hartle goes out swinging with MABC award
FREDERICK, Md. — Aaron Hartle can finally say he had a perfect ending to his high school career.
After falling one game short of the Maryland Class 1A state final last week, the Boonsboro outfielder donned the Warriors’ blue and orange one more time and earned Elite game MVP honors in the 14th annual Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic at Harry Grove Stadium on Monday.
Hartle sealed his case for MVP in the top of the ninth inning of the National team’s 9-0 rout of American. With the bases loaded after three straight walks to open the frame, Hartle ripped a 1-0 pitch to center field, scoring Glenelg Country’s Tyler Russo and Saint James’ Lane Gay to highlight a five-run frame.
“I had a year where I hit the ball well, and to come out and win this MVP is a pretty great (ending) for me,” said Hartle, who finished with two hits, two RBIs and a stolen base. “I wish we could’ve went further in the playoffs, but when you play a team like Colonel Richardson who is pretty solid ... but coming out here and winning this after all that was great.”
The MABC is an annual high school all-star event that showcases some of the best the four-state region has to offer. Players are nominated by their coaches and assigned to a roster in either the Diamond or Elite game.
“For really only playing just one year on varsity, it was really exciting to be selected and play in this game,” Hartle said. “It was pretty cool to meet kids from schools that we’ve never seen before. I had never heard of some of these schools, so it was pretty cool to come out and meet some of them.”
The nightcap Elite game was one in which pitching dominated.
Saint James right-hander Chris Chaney worked around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first inning, aided by a fielder’s choice turned by Boonsboro middle infielders Dalton Shank and Josh DeRocher.Zach Crampton followed his Saints teammate with a scoreless second inning, with Shank and DeRocher turning a double play behind him.
Boonsboro’s TJ Kalagher helped spark a National rally in the seventh. He drew a leadoff walk and reached second on an errant pickoff throw. Two batters later, Glenelg Country’s Kevin Gamble singled Kalagher home to make it 3-0.
The opening Diamond contest featured plenty of offense. The American squad prevailed 9-3 behind a solid day by Randallstown’s Mekhi Stevens, who took home MVP honors.
“I’ve been working all year with my team, so it feels great to be taking home something that you’ve been working for,” Stevens said. “I just came out here and played. I don’t take any of my opportunities for granted, so opportunities like this are amazing.”
Williamsport’s Maddux Grove fired a scoreless bottom of the second inning for the National squad. He worked around a one-out walk to Urbana’s Graham King — who reached third on a pair of stolen bases — by getting back-to-back swinging strikeouts.
National threatened in the third. Winters Mill’s Alex Barnes reached on an infield single and South Hagerstown’s Cade Shifflett hit a bloop single into right field. A walk by Greencastle-Antrim’s Trenton Shaffer loaded the bases, but Grace Academy’s Bradley Summers pitched his way out of the jam without any damage, inducing a flyout.
Randallstown’s Reggie Shaw doubled to lead off the bottom half for American. Three batters later, with Shaw on third after a passed ball, South’s Kyle Adams drove him in while reaching on a bobbled ball at first base.
South’s Michael Hawbaker worked a perfect fifth for American, fanning the first two to face him.
In the bottom half, American rallied. Linganore’s Dylan Miller walked, Grace’s Todd Stocks singled to shallow right and John Handley’s Tommy Downey reached on catcher’s interference to load the bases. Summers and Thomas Johnson's Collin Bitler each walked, forcing in runs, and Stevens capped the rally with a two-run single to right for a 6-0 lead.
In the seventh, National cracked the scoreboard — but its rally was killed almost as fast as it started. With a runner on, a single by Greencastle’s Jason Freeman quickly turned into the first out of the inning when Stocks nailed the lead runner going to third with a perfect throw from right field. A two-out single by Dominion’s Mark McElroy scored a run, but McElroy was thrown out trying for second on the throw home, with Broadfording’s Alex Kehr applying the tag after the throw back to second to end the inning.
2019 MABC Rosters
Click Here: MABC Elite Game Rosters
Click Here: MABC Diamond Stars Rosters
2019 MABC Event News
New Venue
The Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic have agreed with the Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles Class-A affiliate) to hold the 2019 event at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick, MD. Nymeo Field is one of the best minor league facilities in America. The MABC All-Star showcase event will be held on Memorial Day Monday, May 27, 2019. Game times are 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM.
2018 Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic Rosters
Click Here: 2018 Diamond Stars Rosters
Click Here: 2018 MABC Elite Rosters
Nicholson leads National Stars in Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic
SCOTLAND, Pa. — The area’s best baseball players assembled for the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic at Greene Township Park on Monday.
In the feature game between the local elite players, National scored a 4-0 win over American.
Saint James’ Myles Nicholson earned MVP honors with two hits and two runs to lead National.
“I just tried to come out here and do the best I could,” said Nicholson. “It meant a lot to me that I could play in this game. My season didn’t end well so it was nice to come end high school like this.”
With National up 1-0 in the top of the eighth, Nicholson delivered a two-run single up the middle to extend the lead. Nicholson later scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-0.
“I had two strikes and I was just thinking that we needed these runs,” said Nicholson. “I just tried to make contact and it worked out for me.”
American was held hitless until the seventh inning when Williamsport’s Matt Harsh hit a long single. Harsh stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch, but was stranded by Walkersville’s Riley Grant.
“It was awesome being able to coach these kids,” said Walkersville coach Erick Greene, who managed National
“They pounded the strike zone, relied on the defense and they just did awesome,” Greene said. “It was an honor to be able to coach kids like this.”
Grant and Justin Coulter (Westminster) shut down American in the final two innings to close out the game.
Smithsburg’s Ryan Bywaters earned the win, tossing a scoreless third inning with one strikeout.
For American coach David Warrenfeltz (Williamsport), the game gave him one last opportunity to coach four of his seniors.
“It’s really an honor to be on the field with these kids,” said Warrenfeltz. “Our senior class was really good group and we’ll miss them a lot.
“Also for the other county kids that we’ve watch come up throughout the years, it’s fun for them to have a day like this. It’s fun for them to get one last chance to wear their uniforms and play with teammates and other guys they’ve played against.”
Urbana’s Jack Stines was the only other player to get multiple hits in the game. Stines also scored the game’s first run in the top of the first on an RBI single from Mike Tylicki (Catoctin).
Harsh tossed a scoreless sixth inning for American, retiring all three batters and picking up a strikeout.
In the Buffalo Wild Wings Showcase, American beat National, 5-3.
American scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to win.
St. Maria Goretti’s Brock Penn won MVP honors with two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored for American. Zach Crampton (Saint James) had two hits and an RBI for National.
In the Diamond Stars game, American beat National,11-2.
Boonsboro’s Josh Tibbs won MVP honors with three hits and an RBI, while Ryan Washabuagh (Urbana) added three RBIs for American.
Event Sponsors
National wins 11-0 in MABC Elite Showcase Game
In the 11th annual Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic, the National team shut out the American team 11-0 in the Elite game after inclement weather postponed the contest from Sunday to Monday evening at Hagerstown's Municipal Stadium.
"Our pitching was just awesome here today," said National coach Roger Dawson, who also serves as head coach of two-time defending Maryland 1A state champion Brunswick. "Those guys were shut down for nine innings. It's pretty incredible.
"Defensively, we played a flawless game. When we needed to make plays, we did," he added.
Given the circumstances, American coach Mike Smith (Clarke County, Va.) thought his team played well.
"We saw good pitching. That's what you're usually going to see in these types of games," he said. "We squared up a couple balls really well. We hit well, and I think our pitching did well, so overall I'm pleased."
The National team got things going early in the first inning with Ryan Brown (Saint James) scoring on an outfield throwing error after stealing third base. Brown, who holds the Washington County record for career hits, finished 2-for-2 with two stolen bases and a run scored, earning him the game MVP award.
One of the biggest highlights of the game for him was hitting against his good friend Jordan Tapley (Smithsburg) in the third inning.
"He's always told me if he faces me he wasn't going to throw me a fastball, so I was looking for off-speed," Brown said. "He threw me a curveball, so I was able to sit back and put it up the middle."
Both players can easily laugh about their friendly rivalry.
"Any time (Brown) comes up, he starts like he's hitting a home run and I'm going to K him up," Tapley joked.
Tapley struck out two batters for the American team in his one inning of work.
The National team added to its lead in the fifth inning when Robert Walsh (Westminster) scored on a single by Mitch Wilson (Saint James).
They poured it on late in the game, scoring a total of nine runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Jacob Paulishak (Middletown), Chase Metz (North Hagerstown), and Jacob Wetzel (Walkersville) each had an RBI single in the seventh, while Ryan Bywaters (Smithsburg) added an RBI double to make the score 7-0.
Logan Willmoth (Williamsport) earned an RBI on a bases-loaded walk in the top of the eighth, immediately followed by a 2-run single from Patrick O'Connor (North Hagerstown). Metz added another RBI after reaching first on an error, which ended up being the final run of the game.
For the senior players, the MABC game provided a final opportunity to play in their high school uniforms.
"A big plus for them is to get out and show people what they're capable of doing on an all-star kind of platform," Dawson said.
"It was a lot of fun just to be here and be a part of it," Brown said.
It's also an honor for a coach to be selected for this game.
"It means a lot to be recognized at the end of a long season," Smith said. "This is the third time that I've had the opportunity to do this, and I've enjoyed it every time.
"For some of these kids, this will be their last time they'll put on a baseball uniform," he added. "I know it means a lot to them, too."
| AMERICAN ELITE STARS | NATIONAL ELITE STARS | |||||||||||||||||
| # | PLAYER | SCHOOL | AB | RUNS | HITS | RBI | BB | # | PLAYER | SCHOOL | AB | RUNS | HITS | RBI | BB | |||
| 1 | Brent Breeden | Tuscarora-VA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Brandon Martin | Westminster | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 1 | Colton Bare | Underclassmen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Jared Carr | Saint James | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 3 | Jordon Turner | Clarke County-VA | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Ryan Brown | Saint James | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 3 | Logan Saunders | Underclassmen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Isaac Schlotterbeck | Saint James | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 5 | Jordan Tapley | Smithsburg | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Patrick O'Connor | North Hagerstown | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 5 | Paul Witt | Jefferson-WV | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Sean Carey | Oakdale | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 5 | Brooks Keller | Underclassmen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | Colton Repp | Saint James | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 6 | Andrew Mathias | Underclassmen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | Britton Lawrence | Winters Mill | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 8 | Dominick Marinelli | Tuscarora-VA | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | Steven Cook | Winters Mill | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 9 | Myles Gayman | Greencastle-Antrim | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | Mitch Wilson | Saint James | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 13 | Brad Haas | South Carroll | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | Francisco Maya | Waynesboro | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 15 | Joey Skov | Tuscarora-VA | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | A.J. Javitt | St. John's Catholic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 15 | Cameron Alveraz | Jefferson-WV | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | Jacob Paulishak | Underclassman | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 15 | Noah Allen | Underclassmen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Josh Clegg | Underclassman | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 16 | Robert Cross | Washington-WV | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Jacob Wetzel | Underclassman | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 20 | Cole Gabriele | Tuscarora-VA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | Robby Walsh | Westminster | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 20 | Timmy Joy | Washington-WV | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | J.P. Melby | Underclassman | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 22 | Quin Ambeault | Greencastle-Antrim | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | Connor McCormick | Underclassman | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 34 | Noah Lacy | Tuscarora-VA | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Logan Willmoth | Underclassman | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 35 | Jordan Beans | Jefferson-WV | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | Chase Metz | Underclassman | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||
| Totals | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 13 | Austin Moser | Underclassman | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 8 | Ryan Bywaters | Underclassman | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Justin Buberl | Westminster | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Totals | 44 | 11 | 14 | 7 | 6 | |||||||||||||
| 2B: | 2B: Ryan Brown, Jared Carr, Austin Moser. | |||||||||||||||||
| 3B: | 3B: | |||||||||||||||||
| SB: | SB: Ryan Brown (2), Francisco Maya. | |||||||||||||||||
| SF: | SF: | |||||||||||||||||
| ROE: | ROE: | |||||||||||||||||
| HBP: | HBP: | |||||||||||||||||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |||||||
| 16 | Robert Cross L | Washington-WV | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | Steven Cook W | Winters Mill | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Myles Gayman | Greencastle-Antrim | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | Josh Clegg | Underclassman | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 5 | Jordan Tapley | Smithsburg | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Jacob Wetzel | Underclassman | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 20 | Cole Gabriele | Tuscarora-VA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | Isaac Schlotterbeck | Saint James | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | Colton Bare | Underclassmen | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | Justin Buberl | Westminster | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15 | Noah Allen | Underclassmen | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Ryan Bywaters | Underclassman | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 20 | Timmy Joy | Washington-WV | 1 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Brandon Martin | Westminster | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 15 | Joey Skov | Tuscarora-VA | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 | Mitch Wilson | Saint James | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 35 | Jordan Beans | Jefferson-WV | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 27 | A.J. Javitt | St. John's Catholic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Totals | 9 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 7 | Totals | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |||||
National Stars defeat Amercian Stars 7-2 in Diamond Stars Game
Advance weather forecasts predicted Sunday’s Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic at Municipal Stadium could turn into a wet adventure, and that’s exactly what happened.
Minutes after the Diamond Stars game ended, the overcast sky let loose and the MABC Elite game was postponed.
The showcase game tentatively is scheduled for Monday night at 6:30. The final decision on the status of the game will be made Monday morning.
“This is the first rainout in 11 years of the Classic,” said event director Dave Foltz. “It has always been held on Memorial Day. It wasn’t this year and that jinxed us.”
The Diamond Stars National team was held in check early before breaking loose for a 7-2 win over the American squad.
Hunter Coppell (Eastern Tech) had a double, single and walk with two RBIs to earn most valuable player honors for the National team.
It was Coppell’s double in the decisive top of the sixth inning that brought life to National.
One-out walks to Ben Carr (Centennial) and Luca Tesselli (St. Maria Goretti) set the stage for Coppell’s big blast off Nick DeSimone (Middletown) which reached the wall in expansive left-center field. Coppell came around to score on a hustle double by Cody Cline (Waynesboro), giving National a 3-2 lead.
“It’s an honor to get the (MVP) award,” said Coppell, who plans on going to junior college at Dundalk. “It shows you just keep preparing, that hard work pays off.”
American claimed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third without the benefit of a hit. Zac Kober (Waynesboro) walked two and hit a batter to load the bases, then issued a free pass to Dillon Morgan (Greencastle-Antrim) to force in a run. Derek Measell (Greencastle) added an RBI fielder’s choice grounder before Kober retired the side.
National scored an unearned run in the fourth. Chip Faust (Catoctin) led off with a single and Dalton Jeffries (Mountain Ridge) put down a perfect bunt.
American pitcher Jake Venko (Centennial) efficiently fielded the ball, but he fired the ball errantly down the right-field line, allowing Faust to score.
National put the game away with a three-run ninth, including a single by Coppell and back-to-back RBI triples by Cline and Joe Malagari (South Carroll).
“I came into this game just trying to stay relaxed,” said Cline. “All year I think I had one double. This was a special day.”
National pitchers allowed five hits and five walks. Seven hurlers combined for nine strikeouts. Coppell, Cline and Malgari each had two hits. Zach Shankle (Tuscarora) threw two innings of relieffor the win, allowing one hit with one strikeout.
American pitchers posted 11 strikeouts but also walked eight.
• In Sunday’s opener, two teams of local legends got together and North Hagerstown came away with a 9-7 victory over Williamsport.
Former North star Freddie Kreiger led the Hubs with three hits and two RBIs to gain most valuable player honors.
Six former North players — Orland Dean, C.J. Owings, Josh Barron, J.T. Root, Pete Grunberg and Earl Thompson — had two hits each. In relief, Jonathan Shipley picked up the victory.
Former Herald-Mail Hitter of the Year A.J. Jamison had two hits and two RBIs for Williamsport.
2016 Event News
Media Day
All selected players are asked to attend MABC Media Day.
Players will receive a free ticket to the Hagerstown Suns game this day.
Date: Sunday, May 15, 2016
Where: Hagerstown's Municipal Stadium
Time: 1:45 PM during the Hagerstown Suns game (2:05 first pitch)
2016 Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic
Date: Sunday, June 5
Where: Hagerstown's Municipal Stadium
9:00 AM Legends Game
12:00 PM Diamond Stars Game
3:00 PM MABC Elite Game
2015 MABC Elite Game MVP: Sinjin Shoop-Williamsport HS
2015 American Elite All-Stars
2015 National Elite All-Stars
2015 Diamond Stars MVP: J.J. Cooper-Clear Spring HS
2015 American Diamond Stars
2015 National Diamond Stars
2015 MABC Recap
Williamsport’s Sinjin Shoop and Clear Spring’s J.J. Cooper were more grateful than greedy.
Neither of the two seniors playing in the 10th annual Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic on Monday at Municipal Stadium took more than they were given, but they grabbed all they could get.
Shoop and Cooper took the most valuable player honors in the two games with very opportune hitting.
Shoop came out top of the heap in the MABC Elite Game, using his legs to get two hits and two RBIs to lead the American squad to an 8-7 victory over the National team in a game made up of players nominated for the contest. Most of the players already had their tickets punched to play in college.
“That’s my trademark,” said Shoop of his run-scoring triple and infield single. “I like to try and get out of the batter’s box fast
and bring back all I can get.”
Cooper was named the top player in American’s 6-4 win over National in the Diamond Stars game, which had a vast number of players still looking to catch the eye of a college coach. Cooper entered the game in the sixth and capped American’s game-winning four-run rally with a tiebreaking two-run single to right.
“I haven’t had an experience like this since I’ve been in Little League All-Stars,” said Cooper, who also added a single. “It was good, but it was different. I didn’t get to start until the middle of the game. It was tough game to play but you have to stay focused.”
• Shoop was one of a group of players who shined in the Elite Game, as hitters ruled. Clear Spring’s Riley Lazich had two hits, a run scored and an RBI, while Linganore’s Grant Waxter drove in the game-winning run in American’s three-run seventh.
Shoop drove in American’s second run and scored the third to tie the game at 3 after two innings. He followed a leadoff double by Justin Mack (Eastern Tech) off Brunswick’s Doug Pearl. Shoop drove the ball to the center-field wall and hustled out the triple.
“It was a 2-1 pitch he got up on me,” Shoop said. “Then I got out and got what I could get.”
He scored on a single by Williamsport’s Colby Byers.
National controlled the game until the seventh.
Lazich gave American a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a single. He moved to second on single by Sarunas Matalavage (Manchester Valley) before stealing third and scoring on an errant throw.
National took a 3-1 lead in the top of the second on a two-run triple by Joey Nicastro (Oakdale), who later scored on a grounder by Danny Smith (Urbana).
After Shoop and Byers tied the game in the bottom of the second, National took a 5-3 in the third on an RBI single by Vaughn Parker (Thomas Johnson) and an RBI triple by Chris Wessels (Long Reach) off Josh Little (Catoctin). National led 6-4 after four, thanks to an American error.
American got a run back in the bottom of the fifth when Trent Douglas (Southern Fulton) doubled and scored on Lazich’s two-out ground-rule double to left off Noah Tucker (Mountain Ridge).
Shoop legged out an RBI infield single off Brady Farrell (Urbana) in the sixth to tie the game, before National took a 7-6 lead on a sacrifice fly by Brunswick’s Ryan Capstick.
The winning rally included a game-tying sacrifice fly by Connor Litton (Southern Fulton) before Waxter’s single.
The teams combined for 30 hits. Nick Stegman (Oakdale), Daustin Chen (Middletown) and Wessels had two hits each for National.
• In the Diamond Stars game, American trailed 4-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth before a trio of errors by National got pitcher Brad Younker (Hancock) in trouble.
With two outs, Patrick Roach (Martinsburg) was hit by a pitch and Hunter Stafford (Musselman) walked. The tying runs scored when Tyler Hickey (Middletown) reached on a double error. James Orlando (Martinsburg) drew a walk.
Then it was Cooper’s turn.
“It was a 3-2 pitch and I got it on the inner half,” Cooper said. “I just went with it.”
It became a drive to the fence in right-center, scoring Hickey and Orlando. It was a bit of a surprise.
“I usually go the other way,” Cooper said.
National took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as Jacob Myers (Winters Mill) and Younker led off with singles off starting pitcher Tyler George (Saint James). Joe Rindone (Brunswick) hit a sacrifice fly and Alex Hejduk (Smithsburg) had an RBI single.
American cut the deficit to 2-1 in the second off pitcher Conner Henniges (Linganore) on an RBI single by Aaron Brooks (DeMatha). American tied the game in the fourth against Treyvon Jones (Northern Garrett) on an RBI single by Jeremy Younker (Williamsport).
National took a 4-2 lead in the sixth, highlighted by a double by Josh Hindle (Dominion, Va.).
Myers led National with two hits and scored a run.
2015 Rosters
MABC Elite Game
Monday, 5/25 3:00 PM @ Municipal Stadium Hagerstown, MD
| AMERICAN | Pri Pos | Sec Pos | T | B | SCHOOL | COLLEGE | NATIONAL | Prim Pos | Sec Pos | T | B | SCHOOL | COLLEGE | |
| Jack Alkire | RHP | SS | R | R | DeMatha | VCU | Colson Kirchner | RHP | 1B | R | R | Middletown | Undecided | |
| Dalton Morgan | RHP | R | R | Clear Spring | Undecided | Doug Pearl | LHP | OF | L | L | Brunswick | Frederick CC | ||
| Andy Rozylowicz | LHP | 1B | R | L | DeMatha | UMBC | Chris Devine | LHP | 1B | L | L | Urbana | Hood | |
| Jimmy Cain | RHP | SS/3B | R | R | Howard | Millersville | Michael Bealmear | RHP | SS/1B | R | R | St. Johns Catholic | Undecided | |
| Josh Little | RHP | SS | R | R | Catoctin | Mount St Mary's | Tristan Daywalt | RHP | OF | R | L | Chambersburg-PA | Bridgewater | |
| Colin Osborne | LHP | L | L | Williamsport | Stevenson | Brady Farrell | RHP | R | R | Urbana | Undecided | |||
| Justin Smith | LHP | OF | L | L | Smithsburg | Hagerstown CC | Noah Tucker | RHP | OF | R | R | Tuscarora | Concord | |
| Colby Smith | RHP | 3B | R | R | Catoctin | Chesapeake | Ryan Capstick | RHP | 1B | R | R | Brunswick | Frederick CC | |
| Kenny Daniels | RHP | 1B | R | R | North Hagerstown | Hagerstown CC | Danny Finn | RHP | 3B | R | R | Middletown | Coast Guard Acd | |
| Colby Byers | C | RHP | R | L | Williamsport | Hagerstown CC | Nicholas Gardner | C | 1B | R | R | Huntingtown | Chesapeake | |
| Jeremiah Blake | C | RHP/2B | R | R | Perry Hall | Undecided | Eric Scheller | C | OF/1B | R | R | Century | Hood | |
| Connor Stephenson | C | 1B | R | R | Sherando-VA | Emory & Henry | Alex Cartner | C | R | R | Middletown | Undecided | ||
| Brooks Carr | 1B | RHP | R | L | Northern Garrett | Fairmont State | Vaughn Parker | 1B | 3B | R | R | Thomas Johnson | Mount St Mary's | |
| Hunter Martin | 2B | 3B/SS | R | R | North Hagerstown | Hagerstown CC | Taylor Itnyre | 2B | SS | R | L | Brunswick | Charleston | |
| Sinjin Shoop | SS | 3B | R | R | Williamsport | Hagerstown CC | Danny Smith | SS | OF | R | R | Urbana | UMBC | |
| Sarunas Matalavage | 3B | 1B | R | L | Manchester Valley | Mount St Mary's | Evan Pettyjohn | 3B | C | R | R | Boonsboro | Frederick CC | |
| Justin Mack | 3B | 1B/OF | R | R | Eastern Tech | Undecided | Kevin Gibson | SS | 3B | R | R | Middletown | Undecided | |
| Andrew Yu | SS | RHP | R | R | Perry Hall | US Naval Academy | C.J. Mackinson | SS | RHP | R | R | Century | Frederick CC | |
| Anthony Millington | SS | RHP/2B | R | R | Manchester Valley | Stevenson | Cameron Sydnor | 1B | 3B | R | L | Huntingtown | Chesapeake | |
| Mitchell Henson | IF | RHP | R | R | Martinsburg-WV | Undecided | Daustin Chen | 1B | OF | R | R | Middletown | Frederick CC | |
| Grant Waxter | SS | RHP/2B | R | R | Linganore | William&Mary (FB) | Matthew Schug | SS | 2B | R | R | Huntingtown | Towson | |
| Connor Litton | SS | 2B/RHP | R | R | Southern Fulton-PA | Cowley College | Mike Strietbeck | 3B/C | R | R | Mountain Ridge | Undecided | ||
| Tristan Douglas | 2B | 1B/OF | R | R | Southern Fulton-PA | Undecided | Chris Wessels | OF | R | R | Long Reach | Mount St Mary's | ||
| Riley Lazich | OF | L | R | Clear Spring | Radford | Joey Nicastro | OF | 2B | R | L | Oakdale | UMES | ||
| Andrew Keith | OF | R | L | DeMatha | Wesylan | Brooks Ryan | OF | R | R | Winters Mill | Wilmington | |||
| Frankie Anderson | OF | R | R | Catoctin | Mount St Mary's | Luke Harsh | OF | C | R | L | Boonsboro | Hagerstown CC | ||
| Adam Whitacre | OF | LHP | L | L | Sherando-VA | Radford | Jack Duffy | OF | R | R | Urbana | Undecided | ||
| Garrett Spinks | OF | 1B | L | R | Smithsburg | Salisbury | Jalen Washington | OF | RHP | R | L | Mountain Ridge | Potomac State | |
| Jeremy Madon | OF | L | L | Martinsburg-WV | Fairmont | Matt Lynch | OF | RHP | R | R | Middletown | Frederick CC | ||
| Dillan Lashley | OF | R | R | Southern Fulton-PA | Allegany CC |
Diamond Stars Game
Monday, 5/25 12:00 PM @ Municipal Stadium Hagerstown, MD
| AMERICAN | Pri Pos | Sec Pos | T | B | SCHOOL | COLLEGE | NATIONAL | Prim Pos | Secd Pos | T | B | SCHOOL | COLLEGE | |
| Zach Andrews | LHP | OF | L | L | Williamsport | Undecided | Dylan Ellis | LHP | OF | L | L | Brunswick | Undecided | |
| Ty Michaud | RHP | SS/OF | R | R | Sherando-VA | Chesapeake | Connor Henniges | RHP | 3B | R | R | Linganore | Undecided | |
| Zayne Blickenstaff | RHP | 3B | R | R | Boonsboro | Undecided | Ryan Brown | LHP | OF | L | L | Tuscarora | Undecided | |
| Zach Stultz | RHP | R | R | Waynesboro-PA | Undecided | Trevon Jones | RHP | SS | R | R | Northern Garrett | Undecided | ||
| Tyler George | RHP | 1B/3B | R | R | Saint James | Roanoke | Jordan Ritter | RHP | 1B | R | R | Oakdale | Undecided | |
| Aaron Lamp | RHP | 1B/3B | R | R | Martinsburg-WV | Undecided | Alex Enriquez | RHP | IF/OF | R | S | Frederick | Undecided | |
| Patrick Roach | RHP | 1B/2B | R | R | Martinsburg-WV | Undecided | Brad Younker | RHP | SS | R | R | Hancock | Undecided | |
| Tim Stoner | RHP | R | R | Clear Spring | Undecided | Justin Traenkle | RHP | IF | R | R | Dominion-VA | Undecided | ||
| Austin Golden | RHP | 3B | R | R | Williamsport | Undecided | Joe Rindone | C | RHP | R | R | Brunswick | Undecided | |
| Andrew Fiery | C | 1B | R | R | North Hagerstown | Undecided | Jake Kucharski | C | RHP | R | R | Westminster | Baldwin Wallace | |
| Luca Tesselli | C | OF | R | R | St. Maria Goretti | Frederick CC | Bryce Slack | C | OF | R | R | Dominion-VA | Undecided | |
| J.J. Cooper | C | OF | R | R | Clear Spring | Undecided | Chaz Christy | C | 1B | R | R | Oakdale | Undecided | |
| Brad Thaxton | 1B | RHP | R | R | DeMatha | Undecided | Luke Allen | 1B | OF | L | L | Tuscarora | Undecided | |
| Dylan Bickford | 2B | C | R | R | South Hagerstown | Methodist | Connor Wills | 2B | RHP | R | R | Urbana | Undecided | |
| Sawyer Duffey | SS | 2B | R | L | Waynesboro-PA | Penn St-Altoona | Neal Roberts | SS | 2B | R | R | Linganore | Undecided | |
| George Delinski | 3B | SS/RHP | R | R | Musselman-WV | Undecided | Cody Ryan | 3B | 2B | R | R | Tuscarora | Undecided | |
| Jacob Orlando | 1B | OF | R | R | Martinsburg-WV | Undecided | Chris Masser | SS | 2B/RHP | R | R | Tuscarora | Frostburg | |
| Christian Minus | 3B/2B | RHP | R | R | DeMatha | Undecided | Justin Hindle | 2B | RHP/SS | R | R | Dominion-VA | Undecided | |
| Austin Hanshew | 2B | R | R | Waynesboro-PA | Undecided | Jacob Barr | 1B | OF | R | L | Smithsburg | Undecided | ||
| Chris Jeletic | 3B | R | R | DeMatha | RIT | Alec Hejduk | 2B | 3B | R | R | Smithsburg | Undecided | ||
| Caleb Goodie | SS | 3B/RHP | R | R | Saint James | Colgate | Devin Conley | SS | RHP | R | R | Walkersville | Undecided | |
| Nick Blake | 2B | RHP | R | R | St. Maria Goretti | Undecided | Brett Oates | C | 2B | R | R | Northern Garrett | Undecided | |
| Aaron Brooks | OF | R | R | DeMatha | Undecided | Sedale Patton | OF | R | L | Frederick | Undecided | |||
| Jerimiah Younker | OF | R | R | Williamsport | Stevenson | Jacob Myers | OF | R | R | Winters Mill | Eastern (Soccer) | |||
| Kurt Hansen | OF | R | R | Greencastle-PA | York | Jordan Crites | OF | R | R | Urbana | Frederick CC | |||
| Hunter Stafford | OF | RHP | R | R | Musselman-WV | Undecided | Zach Scott | OF | R | R | Manchester Valley | Stevenson | ||
| Michael Brechbill | OF | 2B | R | R | North Hagerstown | Undecided | Brody Coleman | OF | RHP | R | R | Manchester Valley | Stevenson | |
| Quentin Rohrbaugh | OF | LHP | L | R | Sherando-VA | Prince Georges CC | Kyle Brodt | OF | C | R | R | Linganore | Undecided | |
| Mason Machak | OF | R | R | Middletown | Undecided | Alex Rychwalski | OF | R | R | Century | Undecided | |||
| Tyler Hickey | OF | 3B | R | R | Middletown | Undecided | Matt Orr | OF | R | R | Thomas Johnson | Chesapeake | ||
| Ryan Bartoli | DH | RHP | R | R | Middletown | Undecided | Tommy McCarthy | OF | LHP/1B | L | L | Brunswick | Undecided |
2015 Event Info
Media Day: Sunday, May 3, 2015 @ Municipal Stadium, 2-4 PM
Event Date: Monday, May 25, 2015
Games:
Legends Classic: Williamsport vs Clear Spring, 9AM
Diamond Stars Game: American vs National, 12PM
MABC Elite Game: American vs National, 3PM
Legends Classic: North Hagerstown vs South Hagerstown , 6PM
2014 Elite Game MVP: Garett Blank-Saint James
2014 American Elite All-Stars
2014 National Elite All-Stars
2014 Diamond Stars MVP: Tim Kitchen-South Hagerstown
2014 American Diamond Stars
2014 National Diamond Stars
2014 MABC Recap
by Jack Hill, Herald-Mail Media
The 2014 Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic featured an interesting doubleheader of all-star games that separated the Tri-State area talent, along with players from the region, onto four different teams.
The first game was the Diamond Stars Game, where American snapped a 6-6 tie by scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth and two more in the ninth to defeat National, 11-6.
Larry Lopez hit an infield single and Gabe Maymon singled to center to start the eighth. Colby Messersmith (Smithsburg) hit an RBI single to right and stole second. Jamie Naill followed with an RBI single to right. Messersmith scored on a groundout to third by Daniel Rauch.
Jesse Beeler (Greencastle-Antrim) retired the side in order in the ninth to pick up the save for American.
Tim Kitchen (South Hagerstown) was named the MVP of the Diamond Stars Game. He was 2-for-2 with two RBIs for American.
National was leading 6-3 when American scored three runs in the seventh. With one out, Ryan Howard singled to center and Steven Hunsberger walked. One out later, Brandon Jackson (South Hagerstown) reached on a dropped third strike to load the bases. Christian Kehr (Broadfording) laid down an RBI bunt single to third. Kitchen then ripped a two-run single to center to tie the game.
“I think it’s great to come out here and get a ‘W,’” Kitchen said. “It was also great that I got to contribute. Just to be in that position and come through for my team, it is a great feeling.”
National went in front 1-0 in the second when Geraghty Showe (Williamsport) doubled to left and scored on a single to center by Jack Schombert.
American took a 3-1 lead when David Larason hit a two-run triple to left and scored on a single to center by Maymon.
National tied the score at 3 in the fifth on a two-run single to left by Wyatt Scriever (Williamsport).
National went on top 6-3 with three runs in the sixth on a wild pitch, an RBI single to center by Jake Moats (St. Maria Goretti) and a sacrifice fly by Blake Smith.
• The second game was the MABC Elite Game and American led from the start to get a 7-3 win.
Garett Blank (Saint James) was named MVP, stealing three bases and scoring two runs for American.
“I was just trying to read what the pitchers were throwing,” Blank said. “I studied them a little bit. I just got a good jump.”
Mark Grunberg (North Hagerstown) came home on a double to center to give American its first run in the first inning. Ashtin Byers (Greencastle) hit a two-out single to center and later scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead in the second.
American made it 3-0 in the third. Blank drew a leadoff walk, stole two bases and scored on a wild pitch.
American scored a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth when Tim Ingram (Waynesboro) doubled to left and scored on a single to center by Isaiah Pasteur, who came home on a double to center by Brandon Toloso (Williamsport).
American scored its last run in the seventh. Blank singled to left, went to second on a throwing error, stole third and scored on a single by Austin Main.
| AMERICAN DIAMOND STARS | NATIONAL DIAMOND STARS | |||||||||||||||||
| # | PLAYER | SCHOOL | AB | RUNS | HITS | RBI | BB | # | PLAYER | SCHOOL | AB | RUNS | HITS | RBI | BB | |||
| 1 | Clay Eberhart | Waynesboro-PA | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Tristan Baker | Williamsport | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 3 | Gabe Maymon | Walkersville | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Bryan Reich | Sherwood | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 4 | Larry Lopez | DeMatha | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Alec Wingerd | St. James | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 4 | Colby Messersmith | Smithsburg | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | Nick Gange | Manchester Valley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 5 | Tim Kitchen | South Hagerstown | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | Joe Grabowski | Long Reach | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 5 | Taylor Shank | North Hagerstown | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Tim Schumacher | Middletown | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 6 | Daniel Rauch | Linganore | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | Dakota Berry | Urbana | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 7 | Joe Forti | South Hagerstown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | Evan Rogers | Martinsburg-WV | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 7 | Ryan Robertson | Walkersville | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Daniel Patterson | Brunswick | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 8 | Brock Antognoni | Oakdale | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Jake Moats | St. Maria Goretti | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 8 | Jamie Naill | Winters Mill | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | Ryan Abbott | St. James | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 8 | Jordan Edlund | North Hagerstown | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Mitch Sgrignoli | Middletown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 9 | David Larason | Thomas Johnson | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | Jack Schombert | Urbana | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 10 | Tyler Hoffman | Walkersville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | Sam Bryan | Urbana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 11 | Ryan Howard | Walkersville | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | Hunter Maloy | Williamsport | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 11 | Timmy Hartsock | North Hagerstown | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | Michael Dorsch | Marriotts Ridge | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 12 | Tyler Sadowski | North Carroll | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | Tom Slaysman | Manchester Valley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 14 | Jesse Beeler | Greencastle-PA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | J.D. Huffman | Long Reach | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 14 | Wade Groupp | North Carroll | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | Connor Ails | Oakdale | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 15 | Chase Eichelberger | South Hagerstown | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | Geraghty Showe | Williamsport | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 16 | Cameron Fitzgerald | DeMatha | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | Christian Worch | Urbana | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 16 | Brandon Jackson | South Hagerstown | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | Kyle Collins | Urbana | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 17 | Steven Hunsberger | Linganore | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | Casey Bartholomew | St. Maria Goretti | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 17 | Brandon Haupt | Clear Spring | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | Blake Smith | Tuscarora | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 22 | Trenton Eirich | Allegany | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | Blake Harne | Williamsport | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 23 | Zach Blessing | Winters Mill | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20 | Nick Winpigler | Tuscarora | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 23 | Garrett Wiles | Linganore | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | Wyatt Scriever | Williamsport | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |||
| 23 | Ryan Garber | Century | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | Jack Ricker | Oakdale | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 23 | Cody Reifel | Smithsburg | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | Casey Elbin | Southern Fulton-PA | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 26 | Matt Oleksik | Allegany | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22 | Hunter Hill | Northern Garrett | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 34 | Christian Kehr | Broadfording CA | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 25 | Tyler Heffner | Brunswick | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Totals | 45 | 11 | 15 | 8 | 6 | Totals | 38 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 7 | |||||||
| 2B: | 2B: Showe. | |||||||||||||||||
| 3B: Larson | 3B: | |||||||||||||||||
| SB: Antongnoni | SB: Abbott. | |||||||||||||||||
| SF: | SF: Smith. | |||||||||||||||||
| ROE: Eichelberger, Kehr. | ROE: Rogers. | |||||||||||||||||
| HBP: Edlund. | HBP: | |||||||||||||||||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |||||||
| 10 | Tyler Hoffman | Walkersville | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | Connor Ails | Oakdale | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 23 | Ryan Garber | Century | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | J.D. Huffman | Long Reach | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 23 | Cody Reifel | Smithsburg | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 25 | Tyler Heffner | Brunswick | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| 7 | Joe Forti | South Hagerstown | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | Blake Harne | Williamsport | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 23 | Garrett Wiles | Linganore | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | Evan Rogers | Martinsburg-WV | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 16 | Cameron Fitzgerald | DeMatha | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Bryan Reich | Sherwood | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 26 | Matt Oleksik | Allegany | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 21 | Wyatt Scriever | Williamsport | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
| 23 | Zach Blessing | Winters Mill | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | Michael Dorsch | Marriotts Ridge | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| 14 | Jesse Beeler | Greencastle-PA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | Nick Gange | Manchester Valley | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Totals | 9 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 10 | Totals | 9 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 9 | |||||
| AMERICAN ELITE ALL-STARS | NATIONAL ELITE ALL-STARS | |||||||||||||||||
| # | PLAYER | SCHOOL | AB | RUNS | HITS | RBI | BB | # | PLAYER | SCHOOL | AB | RUNS | HITS | RBI | BB | |||
| 2 | Brandon Toloso | Williamsport | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Thayer Seely | Poolesville | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2 | Mark Grunberg | North Hagerstown | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Tyler Morris | Centennial | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 2 | Josh Gontarek | Linganore | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Chris Schleuss | Musselman-WV | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 3 | Austin Main | Middletown | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | Jarin Jenkins | Musselman-WV | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 3 | Antonio Rosanova | DeMatha | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Ryan Franceschina | Oakdale | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 3 | Zach Hossler | Brunswick | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Derek Nadeau | Centennial | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 4 | Alex Calvert | LaPlata | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Angelo Hronis | Chambersburg-PA | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 4 | Tim Ingram | Waynesboro-PA | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Jake Bender | Marriotts Ridge | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 4 | Justin Hovey | Greencastle-PA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | Jonathan Brown | Chambersburg-PA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 5 | Josh Miller | Smithsburg | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | David Stauffer | Walkersville | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 6 | Jake Crist | Greencastle-PA | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | Peyton Laramore | Catoctin | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 7 | Mickey Rhodes | South Carroll | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | Jamal Wade | St. Pauls | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 9 | Brady Adam | Sherwood | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | Peter Solomon | Mount St. Josephs | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 10 | Riley Arnone | Williamsport | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | Heath Shultz | Urbana | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 10 | Jake Hafer | Mountain Ridge | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | Daniel Sterenberg | Centennial | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 12 | Ryan Ricci | Greencastle-PA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | Brady Acker | Atholton | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 12 | Colton Sivic | Allegany | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | Adam Blenckstone | St. Maria Goretti | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 12 | Alex Cline | Waynesboro-PA | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | Tyler Mason | Martinsburg-WV | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 13 | Airin Martin | South Hagerstown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | Chris Convers | Poolesville | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 13 | Ashtin Byers | Greencastle-PA | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | Wes Carson | Marriotts Ridge | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 13 | Matt Kraeger | South Carroll | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | Robbie Metz | Poolesville | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 14 | Garett Blank | St. James | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 20 | Mark Smith | Catoctin | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 17 | Isaiah Pasteur | Winters Mill | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 23 | Michael Catlin | Oakdale | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 17 | Austin Stone | North Hagerstown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23 | Hunter Pearre | Poolesville | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 24 | Chase Hoffman | Middletown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | Tyler Gross | Musselman-WV | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 25 | John Barr | Waynesboro-PA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | Jordan Clingerman | Southern Fulton-PA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 35 | Cody Gwinn | Eastern Tech | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Totals | 38 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 4 | |||||
| 42 | Bryce Nightengale | Allegany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 44 | Andy Szamski | Eastern Tech | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Totals | 40 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 6 | |||||||||||||
| 2B: Toloso, Ingram, Rhodes, Szamski. | 2B: Convers. | |||||||||||||||||
| 3B: | 3B: | |||||||||||||||||
| SB: Blank 3. | SB: B | |||||||||||||||||
| SF: | SF: | |||||||||||||||||
| ROE: | ROE: Stauffer, Sterenberg. | |||||||||||||||||
| HBP: | HBP: | |||||||||||||||||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |||||||
| 4 | Alex Calvert | LaPlata | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Thayer Seely | Poolesville | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 42 | Bryce Nightengale | Allegany | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | Michael Catlin | Oakdale | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| 13 | Airin Martin | South Hagerstown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | Ryan Franceschina | Oakdale | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
| 10 | Riley Arnone | Williamsport | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | Jonathan Brown | Chambersburg-PA | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 25 | John Barr | Waynesboro-PA | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 34 | Jordan Clingerman | Southern Fulton-PA | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| 17 | Isaiah Pasteur | Winters Mill | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | Chris Schleuss | Musselman-WV | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Austin Main | Middletown | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | David Stauffer | Walkersville | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 24 | Chase Hoffman | Middletown | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | Heath Shultz | Urbana | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 12 | Ryan Ricci | Greencastle-PA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | Adam Blenckstone | St. Maria Goretti | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals | 9 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7 | Totals | 9 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 | |||||
Visit our Facebook page for MABC photos
Devin Beverley - DeMatha 2013 Elite Game MVP
2013 National Elite All-Stars
2013 American Elite All-Stars
Ryan Aaron -Clear Spring - 2013 Diamond Stars MVP
2013 National Diamond Stars
2013 American Diamond Stars
In the Diamond Stars Game, American pounded National 13-4 behind a red-hot offense.
In the Mid-Atlantic Elite All-Star Game, National edged American 3-1 in a pitcher’s duel.
Clear Spring second baseman Ryan Aaron earned MVP honors in the Diamond Stars Game, going 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored for American.“I was just going up there and swinging,” Aaron said. “I wasn’t looking for anything special.”
American took control in the first two innings.
Dorian Hetzel walked, Kevin Proctor was plunked and Ryan Dougall reached on a fielder’s choice where everybody was safe to load the bases with no outs in the first. North Hagerstown’s Hunter Williams clubbed a two-run double to center, and Dougall scored on a wild pitch.
American raised its lead to 7-0 with four runs in the second on an RBI single by John Kominars, an RBI single by Aaron and a two-run single by Matt Machak.
“Nineteen hits in nine innings is really good,” American coach David Warrenfeltz said. “We swung the bats well.”
DeMatha second baseman Devin Beverly earned MVP honors in the Mid-Atlantic game. Beverly drove in National’s first run on a groundout in the first inning after Brady Policelli led off with a triple to right.
Jerel English scored the other two runs for National.
With one out in the second, English walked and moved to second on a groundout before coming around to score on two wild pitches.
With one out in the sixth, English walked again, went from first to third on an errant pickoff attempt and scored on a throwing error on the play to make it 3-0.
American scored its only run in the sixth. Hancock’s Hunter McKinley, who will play college ball at Davis & Elkins, led off with an infield single to
third and eventually scored on an RBI groundout to first by Bailey McAuliffe.Musselman’s Darin Zombro closed out the game with a scoreless ninth to get the save for National.
“It was just a very well-pitched game,” National coach Mike Franklin said. “The defense played great. We got a few timely hits. It is great for these kids to be able to play on a field like this.”
“All of the players played well,” American coach Pete Grunberg said. “It is what you expect from the elite players in the area.”
Dave Foltz, the executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Classic, was pleased that everything turned out well.
“The bats showed up in the first game and the pitching definitely dominated the second game,” Foltz said. “I thought we had a lot of talent in both games. All of the players had a lot of fun today.”
2013 Elite Game Boxscore
| AMERICAN (1) | NATIONAL (3) | |||||||||||||||
| PLAYER | SCHOOL | AB | Runs | Hits | RBI | BB | PLAYER | SCHOOL | AB | Runs | Hits | RBI | BB | |||
| Nicolas Fahs | Seneca Valley | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Josh Kutchey | Walkersville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Ian Peters | Middletown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Mike Ogle | Century | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Sean Wenner | Middletown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Matt Connelly | South Carroll | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Tim Anderson | Liberty | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Devin Beverly | DeMatha | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||
| Matt Daley | North Hagerstown | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Jacob Whitmore | Musselman-WV | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| John Britton | North Hagerstown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Matt Maiers | Hampshire-WV | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Zach Piazza | Huntingtown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Collin Nusbaum | Brunswick | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Shane Sweeney | Liberty | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Carl Colbert | DeMatha | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Cole Warrenfeltz | Waynesboro-PA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Brady Policelli | Walkersville | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Gene Barrett | Westminster | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Darin Zombro | Musselman-WV | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Logan Appel | Clear Spring | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Bradley Keith | DeMatha | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| Bobby Summersgill | Liberty | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Jerel English | Frederick | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||
| Hunter McKinley | Hancock | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Joey Johnson | Catoctin | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Colby Johnson | South Hagerstown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Gary Barrett | Brunswick | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Jared Brant | Clear Spring | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Alex Kennedy | Catoctin | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Curtis Miller | Martinsburg-WV | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Seth Shubert | Catoctin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Zane Schreiber | North Hagerstown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | B.Humbertson | Walkersville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Dylan Stouffer | Clear Spring | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Josh VanMeter | Mountain Ridge | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Andrew Yacyk | North Hagerstown | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Chance Smith | Brunswick | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| Forrest Williamson | Clear Spring | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Chuckie Trentler | Eastern Tech | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Bailey McAuliffe | Tuscarora | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Alex Eckenrode | Francis Scott Key | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Tommy Labriola | Huntingtown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Tyler Magaha | Poolesville | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Trevor Houck | Westminster | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Jake Kyle | Mountain Ridge | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| Travis Ott | Shippensburg-PA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ryan Gough | DeMatha | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Dallas Ducote | Westminster | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Connor Cool | Catoctin | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Chris Longdo | Martinsburg-WV | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Totals | 33 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 5 | ||||
| Howie Kalamets | Middletown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Totals | 30 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||
| 2B: Brant | 2B: Kennedy | |||||||||||||||
| 3B: Policelli | ||||||||||||||||
| PLAYER | SCHOOL | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | PLAYER | SCHOOL | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |
| John Britton, L | North Hagerstown | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Alex Eckenrode, W | Francis Scott Key | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Jared Brant | Clear Spring | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | Ryan Gough | DeMatha | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Forrest Williamson | Clear Spring | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Josh Kutchey | Walkersville | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Travis Ott | Shippensburg-PA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Seth Shubert | Catoctin | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Chris Longdo | Martinsburg-WV | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Matt Maiers | Hampshire-WV | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Hunter McKinley | Hancock | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Collin Nusbaum | Brunswick | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Shane Sweeney | Liberty | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Connor Cool | Catoctin | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Trevor Houck | Westminster | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | B.Humbertson | Walkersville | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Andrew Yacyk | North Hagerstown | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Darin Zombro, Sv | Musselman-WV | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Totals | 9 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 8 | Totals | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
2013 Diamond Stars Boxscore
By JACK HILL III, Staff Correspondent May 28, 2012
HAGERSTOWN — Players came to the Mid Atlantic Baseball Classic loose and ready to play.
But the four teams left Municipal Stadium fit to be tied.
No one won and no one lost as both games in the all-star exhibition were finished dead even on Monday as the Diamond Stars game ended in a 7-7 deadlock before the MABC Elite Game ended a 4-4 draw, both after nine innings.
“This is the first time that we have ever had a tied game and we had two of them today,” MABC director Dave Foltz said. “Nobody left unhappy because there were no losers today.”
North Hagerstown’s Alex Courtney had two hits and three RBIs for the American team to win won Most Valuable Player trophy in the Diamond Stars game.
National led 7-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning until Courtney started a comeback by ripping a two-run single to left to reduce the deficit to two runs.
“I knew that we were down big and we couldn’t get any momentum going during the game,” Courtney said. “It was a changeup inside and I pulled it down the line.”
American scored with the help of an outfield error before Courtney crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to right by Rob Ricciuti to tie the game.
Courtney added an RBI double in the third.
American’s Tyler Byers, of Williamsport, and National’s Brad Spickler, of Smithsburg, each pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the tie.
“I thought that all day we were one or two hits away from getting back into the ballgame,” American coach David Warrenfeltz said. “We finally got some big hits there in the eighth.”
Middletown’s Conner Myers led the National had two hits and three stolen bases to earn MVP honors in the MABC Elite game.
National led 3-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth until American rallied.
Clear Spring’s Nick Hill reached on a throwing error and stole second before North Hagerstown’s Phillip Pietro walked. North’s Charles Cvijanovich hit a one-out single to left to score Hill.
Pietro scored the tying run on a two-out wild pitch before Smithsburg’s Brock Heiston singled to center to bring in Cvijanovich for th 4-3 lead.
But National scored one run in the top of the ninth to force the game-ending tie.
“It was good for us that we rallied late, because their pitchers threw zeroes during the first six innings,” American manager Drew Crawford said. “I was really impressed with the pitching arms for both teams today.”
Chad Colliflower threw out the ceremonial first pitch, throwing to Williamsport’s Zach Lucas, before the second game in a tribute to his son Brendon, the Wildcats pitcher who died in an auto accident earlier this month.
Brendon Colliflower's dad, Chad, throwing out the honorary first pitch.
2012 Elite Game MVP
2012 Diamond Stars MVP
By TIM KOELBLE, Herald-Mail
HAGERSTOWN — A few years down the road, maybe we’ll see Hagerstown’s Christian Binford pitching for the Kansas City Royals at Camden Yards against the Baltimore Orioles.
The 18-year-old Binford signed a contract Friday with Kansas City and the ink on the pact officially dried Monday.
Already, Binford is in Surprise, Ariz., with the Royals’ Rookie League team and will stay there until the season is completed Aug. 28. He then will participate in the Fall Instructional League.
Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed, but it covers seven years and also includes a college tuition package.
“It’s surreal signing the contract,” said Binford. “Baseball is something I have loved all of my life. I want to be on the field every day.
“This is a dream come true,” he said. “I collected baseball cards when I was a kid, and when we’d go to Iowa to see my mom’s family, we’d go to the ballpark to watch major leaguers on rehab.”
Binford does not expect to pitch during the remainder of the Rookie League season. He’s just getting his arm back in shape since he’s not pitched regularly following the completion of his senior season at Mercersburg (Pa.) Academy.
“I’ll probably get active in games in the Instructional League, three or four innings an outing,” said Binford, who stands 6 feet 7 inches tall and tips the scales at 200 pounds. He said the Royals also want him to put 20 pounds on his frame.
He was the 906th player taken in the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, going in Round 30 on June 7.
Shortly after the draft, Binford had a workout in front of Kansas City personnel at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium.
In the time since the workout in Kansas City, Binford looked forward to the day his name would be on a professional baseball contract.
“I was pretty much confident in our conversations with one another,” he said.
Coming off Tommy John surgery in 2009 for a torn ulnar collateral ligament, Binford made it all the way back into top form this season at Mercersburg with a 9-2 record, a 0.57 earned run average, walked only seven and struck out 83 batters in 61 innings pitched. Opponents managed only 25 hits and he fashioned a no-hitter against Peddie School.
“For the first full year back, I didn’t think much about being drafted, but things worked out and suddenly there was a tidal wave of scouts,” Binford said. “As the season progressed, I knew (the scouts) were there to see what I could do and I knew they were dead serious, not just talking.”
Binford was signed by Kansas City scout Jim Farr and also had plenty of praise for Clear Spring coach Mark Shives, a former pitcher.
“(Coach Shives) helped me back from surgery from day one,” Binford said. “He tweaked my windup and helped get me back on their radar.”
Had Binford not signed, he would be making final preparations to head to the University of Virginia, where he had a baseball scholarship.
As the Royals’ organization stands now, Binford’s progression upward through the minors would be Idaho Falls, Idaho, or Burlington, N.C., in rookie ball; Kane County, Ill., in low Class A; Wilmington, N.C., in advanced Class A; Northwest Arkansas in Class AA; and Omaha, Neb., in Class AAA.
By JACK HILL III, Staff Correspondent
HAGERSTOWN — Smithsburg’s Ryne Willard drove in the winning run with a single in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the American All-Stars to a 14-13 victory over the National All-Stars in the Elite Game during the Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic on Monday at Municipal Stadium.
American trailed National 13-11 going into the bottom of the ninth before putting together a three-run rally for a thrilling win.
With one out, Westminster's Brandon Nelson doubled to right and moved to third when Walkersville's Ricky Pardo reached on an infield error. After Pardo stole second, both Catoctin's Austin Carter and Linganore's Zach Davies walked to bring Nelson home. With the bases loaded, everybody advanced one base on a wild pitch as Pardo came home with the tying run.
Willard followed with a shot to the gap in right center to drive in Carter with the winning run.
“It was great,” Willard said. “It was a 3-0 count. Since it was an all-star game, the coach said to just go up there swinging. I hit a fastball on the outside corner. When I hit it, I knew it was in the gap. I just watched it.”
Willard went 4-for-5 with three RBIs to win the Elite Game MVP award.
American rallied from a 10-5 deficit by scoring six runs in the seventh for an 11-10 lead. Willard ignited that rally with a two-run homer to right.
“He threw me a good pitch,” said Willard, who has signed to play at Towson next spring. “It was on the outside part of the plate again. I was thinking it would hit off the wall, to be honest, but it carried over.”
Catoctin’s Landon Routzahn had two hits and three RBIs for American.
Williamsport’s Connor Arnone hit an RBI double for National.
“The other team had some pitching that was pretty solid,” American coach Steve Myers said. “We just kind of hung in there. I knew we could hit. It just eventually started working out.”
In the Diamond Stars Game, the American All-Stars defeated the National All-Stars, 5-2. South Hagerstown’s Trevor Haupt won MVP honors with hits in both innings that American scored.
American scored three runs in the third on a two-run double by Westminster's Nick Sohn and an RBI single by Haupt.
Haupt started American’s two-run rally in the eighth with a double to left. An RBI single by Westminster's Ryan Robinson and a sacrifice fly by Liberty's D.J. Bennett plated the runs.
“I was seeing the ball real good,” said Haupt, who will play for Hagerstown Community College next spring. “I was looking at some good pitches, so I knew that I had to focus and hit the ball.”
North Hagerstown’s Jake Bachtell added two hits for American.
The American bullpen shut out National over the final four innings. Northern Garrett's Cody Humberson, Williamsport's Tyson Cline, and Smithsburg's Dylan Eyler and Dylan Ianaro pitched one inning apiece for American.
“Our last four relievers did a good job of pounding the strike zone and making the defense do the work for them,” American coach Trey Cobb said. “All of them came in and shut the door. We got timely hitting. That is part of the game. That was really big to get the two insurance runs in the eighth. That gave us a little cushion. It was a great day.”
By JACK HILL III/Staff Correspondent
June 6, 2010
HAGERSTOWN — Martinsburg coach John Lowery Jr. had his American all-stars ready to go as they got their offense going early to defeat the National all-stars 8-3 in the Mid-Atlantic Baseball Classic Elite Game on Sunday afternoon, the second game of a doubleheader at Municipal Stadium.
American was able to get out to an early lead and build on it.
“If you can do that in any game on any level, it’s a positive thing,” Lowery said. “That gives you a little bit of extra energy in a game when you get out to an early lead. We certainly had a lot of good players that swung the bat well. I liked the way that they played hard. They ran the balls out. We got some hits in a row and we had the big inning.”
Kevin Kean of Old Mill High School was selected as the MABC Elite Game MVP after ripping two triples for American.
American scored single runs in each of the first three innings.
Kean led off the bottom of the second with a triple to right and scored on a wild pitch.
American added four runs in the bottom of the fourth to expand its lead to 7-0. Kean capped the rally with an RBI triple to left.
American added one more run in the fifth to boost its lead to 8-0. With one out, Martinsburg’s T.J. Weisenburg doubled to left. Another out later, South Hagerstown’s Tyeler Presgraves singled to center to knock in Weisenburg.
American banged out a total of 16 hits.
“I enjoyed the opportunity to coach them,” Lowery added. “It was a very nice event.”
Earlier in the day, the National all-stars beat the American all-stars 13-3 in the Diamond Stars Game.
Drew Karlin of Poolesville High School was selected as the Diamond Stars Game MVP after stroking a pair of two-run doubles to center for National.
Karlin’s first two-run double came in the top of the fifth to enable National to extend its lead to 4-1.
National exploded with five runs in the top of the sixth to raise its lead to 9-1. Karlin capped the rally with his second two-run double.
Williamsport’s Blake Bandeff slugged a solo homer for American.
“I thought we showcased the top talent in the Tri-State area as well as the Mid-Atlantic Region,” executive director Dave Foltz said. “It is good to see the top players from the Tri-State area play together with the top players from other areas in the Mid-Atlantic Region. We had a lot of talent and a lot of smiles today out of all four teams. Everybody got to play today and everybody was happy.”
Greg Swantek, Frederick News-Post Staff
Recent Thomas Johnson graduate and MABC all-star Branden Kline joined an elite Frederick County list on Wednesday, when he became a low-round draft pick (sixth round, No. 198) of the Boston Red Sox. The 17-year-old must now decide whether to sign a contract or head to the University of Virginia.
Shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday, with her cell phone pressed against her ear, Linda Kline started "bawling like a baby."
Kline was on the phone with her 17-year-old son, Branden, who had just told her he had been selected in the sixth round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Boston Red Sox.
"He had to say it three times," Kline said. "I knew what he said. I just wanted to make sure I heard him right."
Once her son's words began to sink in, Kline pulled the phone away from her ear and turned to her own mother, Martha, who was out running errands with her.
She tried to relay the good news, but it was very difficult with her emotions overtaking her.
"It was very exciting," Linda said.
Taken by Boston near the end of the sixth round as the 198th overall pick, Branden Kline is the first Thomas Johnson baseball player to be selected that high.
The pitcher is also one of the few players in the history of Frederick County baseball that was claimed in a single-digit round.
Frederick High School's Petey Cooper was chosen in the fifth round, 108th overall, of the 1969 draft by the Cincinnati Reds.
"We don't have too many kids around here who can say they were drafted right out of high school," longtime TJ coach Jim Foit said.
Now comes the tough part for the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Kline, who must decide whether to sign a contract with the Red Sox prior to the Aug. 15 deadline or play for his dream school, the University of Virginia, on a full scholarship.
Leading up to the draft, Kline had given strong indications to the professional scouts he spoke with that he was leaning toward going to college.
Nobody in his family has ever attended a university before and it's important to Kline to change that.
But the Red Sox, notoriously one of baseball's highest-spending teams, might present Kline with a contract that is hard to turn down.
"There's a handful of teams that money really doesn't matter that much," Foit said. "Boston clearly wasn't swayed by his preference to go to college. I think they could make him an offer that could cause him to squirm a little bit."
Kline is in Ocean City this week, celebrating his recent high school graduation with friends.
After following the first three rounds of the draft Tuesday night, his phone started chirping around 9 a.m. Wednesday.
"It was a couple of scouts wanting to know what I was thinking," he said. "At the time, the Red Sox and Royals were the teams that seemed most interested in me."
Around 12:30 p.m., after his friends had already taken off for the beach, Kline took a call from the Red Sox and was told they had selected him.
"I was jumping up and down," he said.
When he hung up the phone, he immediately started thinking about the money he might be offered, which will be the major factor in determining whether he turns pro right away or goes to college.
"I talked with some people and they told me sixth-round picks last year got something like a $2 million signing bonus," he said.
Kline admitted money like that would be very difficult to turn down, but he could see himself doing it.
To those that say he should turn pro right away, invest the money and perhaps attend college later, Kline's response is: "Those people are not in my shoes and they don't know why I am thinking a certain way. If it was just about the money, I'd say, 'Where do I sign?' But it's about more than that to me. I think about things before making big decisions. I don't just rush into them."
Short of very high draft pick and a major signing bonus, Kline was certain he'd be off to college. But he admitted the decision became tougher after a big-spending team like the Red Sox drafted him.
If there is a way to attend classes at Virginia during the offseason, he will strongly consider turning pro right away.
Even Linda Kline, who would prefer to see her son attend college, knows the complexity of her son's decision.
"I know it will be a very difficult decision," she said. "I just want Branden to know he has all the support from his family and friends. He is not going through this alone."
The Red Sox, no doubt, were enticed by the velocity of Kline's fastball, which is consistently clocked in the low 90s and has topped out at 95 mph, as well as the potential of him packing 20 to 25 pounds onto his frame.
A wiry right-hander, Kline was 6-1 for TJ this past season. In 41 innings, he allowed only three earned runs and 16 hits. His 79 strikeouts led the county.
In the last year, he is the third high-profile draft pick from the county.
Linganore graduate Joe Alexander was selected in the NBA draft lottery (No. 8 overall) by the Milwaukee Bucks last June.
Then, on April 28, Walkersville graduate Tony Fiammetta was chosen in the fourth round of the NFL Draft (128th overall) by the Carolina Panthers.
At the start of the season, Kline wasn't sure he'd be joining that kind of company. But he's learned that things change quickly.
The Red Sox have invited Kline and his family to Philadelphia this weekend for their interleague series with the Phillies.
"I'll get a chance to meet some of the big executives with the team and they'll get a chance to learn more about me," he said.
Contract negotiations could begin anytime.
After he was drafted, Kline ran to the beach to tell his friends. Later, they all went to watch the national telecast of the Red Sox-Yankees game.
"I was pretty pumped up and so were they because a lot of my friends are Red Sox fans," he said.
Linda Kline is on board with the idea of Kline going into professional baseball right away, as long as he eventually attends college.
"It would be great if he got his dream and I got mine," she said.
After she regained control of her emotions, Linda placed a phone call to Branden's father, Gary Bowens, to share her excitement.
And Bowens had to tell her, "There's no crying in baseball."
