McHenry, MD – The Lakers are exhibiting impeccable timing.
Garrett College pounded visiting Cecil College, 11-1 and 12-2, Sunday afternoon in a pair of five-inning baseball contests. The Lakers – 7-1 over their last eight games – used the sweep to vastly enhance their postseason position with the NJCAA Division II Region 20 playoffs set to start May 7th.
"For the first time, we're healthy," said GC head coach Eric Hallenbeck, whose squad improved to 9-6 in Region 20 contests and 24-22 overall, moving over .500 for the first time this season. "It's how we envisioned we could play before the season started."
GC's recent winning streak has lifted the Lakers from seventh to fourth in the tightly packed divisional standings. Finishing third or fourth would permit Garrett to host a sub-regional, and require the Lakers to win just once instead of twice to reach the region semis.
"We still have a long way to go," noted Hallenbeck, whose squad still has nine regional contests remaining. "We're very happy with how we're playing right now."
As well they should be. Over the last eight contests, the Lakers are averaging over 11 runs per game and hitting .417 with 28 extra-base hits.
"We're getting good pitches to hit, we're getting deep in counts, and we haven't struck out that much in the last eight games," said Hallenbeck, whose squad earned a critical doubleheader split with second-place CCBC-Catonsville last Saturday.
Sunday's opener was deceptively close, with Cecil nursing a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth. The Lakers, however, exploded for 11 fourth-inning runs as they took advantage of six hits, four walks, and three hit batsmen.
Colby Schmitz tied the game, 1-1, with a run-scoring double. Easton Rhoten's two-run single put the Lakers ahead to stay.
Lakers Ty Giblin, Chance Ritchey, and Rhoten each had a hit, scored a run, and collected two RBI in the opener. GC's Angel Oquendo and Schmitz each added a double while scoring twice and driving in two runs.
Starting Garrett pitcher Stefan Machkovski permitted an unearned run on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts in three innings. Reliever Coleman Bullard worked two scoreless innings, improving his record to 5-1.
Garrett took control of Game 2 early, building an 8-1 lead after three innings. Schmitz earned the complete-game victory, yielding two runs (one earned) on six hits with five walks and two strikeouts.
Ritchey led the GC offense, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a run, and two RBI. Jacob Kennell (three runs, two doubles), Jonathan Padgett (two runs), and Easton Rhoten (run) each had two hits and drove in a run for the Lakers.
Notes: Hallenbeck said playing on GC's new turf field, which minimizes weather-related postponements, was once again an advantage as the Lakers played eight straight home games.
"We played home all week," said Hallenbeck. "It's good not having to worry about whether you can play at home. It definitely makes a difference."
Frederick Community College (38-5 overall, 17-1 division), CCBC-Catonsville (22-18, 12-4), Montgomery College (22-17, 11-7), and GC currently occupy the top four places in the division. Anne Arundel Community College (25-19, 13-9), Allegany College of Maryland (26-17, 12-10), CCBC-Essex (15-19, 10-9), and College of Southern Maryland (17-23, 8-10) would be the other four qualifiers if region play began today.
Garrett 9, Catonsville 8
McHenry, MD – Jacob Kennell went 2-for-3 with a home run, scored twice, and drove in four runs as the Lakers won the second game of Saturday's doubleheader to earn a critical split.
Angel Oquendo (triple, two runs, two RBI) and Ty Giblin (double) each had two hits for GC, which handed second-place CCBC-Catonsville just its fourth Region 20 loss of the season. Easton Rhoten doubled for the Lakers' fourth extra-base hit of the contest.
GC scored nine straight runs, including six in the second inning, to wipe out to an early, 2-0 deficit. Starter Collin Cottrell earned the win despite allowing six runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Catonsville 11, Garrett 5
McHenry, MD – The Cardinals built a 9-1 lead on the way to winning the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader.
GC's Zach Hallenbeck (triple, run) drove in two runs while teammates Angel Oquendo (triple, run, RBI), Jacob Kennell (double, RBI), and Easton Rhoten (run) each had two hits. Laker starter Brandon Metivier took the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts in four innings.
GC 21, CCAC 7
McHenry, MD – Colby Schmitz went 3-for-3, hit two of the Lakers' four homers, scored three times, and drove in seven runs in last Friday's romp over Community College of Allegheny County.
Zach Hallenbeck (three runs), Angel Oquendo (homer, three runs, three RBI), and Erick Batista (three runs, two RBI) also had three hits apiece. Ty Giblin had the Lakers' other home run and scored twice.
Jacob Kennell (triple, four runs, RBI) and Easton Rhoten (run, walk) each had two hits as part of Garrett's 22-hit attack. Tristan Kenzevich had a hit and drove in two runs.
Coleman Bullard, the third of five Garrett pitchers, earned the win with two innings of hitless work.
GC 15, PSU-Fayette 6
McHenry, MD – Chance Ritchey, Jacob Kennell, and Ty Giblin each drove in three runs as the Lakers overcame an early 5-1 deficit.
Ritchey (3-for-5, two runs), Kennell (run, two walks), Giblin (2-for-4, run), Zach Hallenbeck (two runs, three walks), Colby Schmitz (2-for-4, run, RBI, walk), and Tristan Kenzevich (2-for-3, two runs, two walks) each had doubles.
GC used a six-run second inning to build a 7-5 lead. The Lakers added three runs in the fifth – two on a Giblin single – and put together a four-run sixth as Ritchey singled in two runs.
Mayson Jack – the fourth of nine Laker pitchers – earned the victory while pitching a scoreless fifth inning.
GC finished with 13 hits while drawing 13 walks, compensating for the Lakers' five errors.
PHOTO CUTLINE – Garrett College Baseball Roundup 04 22 24
Jonathan Padgett had two hits, scored twice, and drove in a run as the Lakers defeated Cecil College, 12-2, in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader.
