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By Jerry Shank
MD/VA Scouting Director

St. Michaels scored 12 runs in the third and fourth innings en route to a 12-1 victory over Boonsboro for the 1A state championship.

Boonsboro was the first to strike in the game scoring in the first inning, taking advantage of two St. Michaels errors. Josh Tibbs drove in Logan Saunders from second base on a base hit to right field to get Boonsboro up 1-0. The warriors would have two runners in scoring position, but St. Michaels staring pitcher Matt Grogan struck the following two hitters out to end the inning and quell the rally.

After a quiet second frame, St. Michaels would then respond in the big way in the third. The Saints would quickly load the bases after a single by Seth Parks, a hit by pitch to Trent Saunders and an infield single on a sac bunt attempt from Andrew Riser. St. Michaels would then score three runs after three consecutive walks to take a 3-1 lead. CJ Chansler drove in a run on a single and Noah Brack would drive in two runs on a single to right field. Saunders would end the inning, driving in a run on a single in his second at bat that frame, but Brack would be thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

The Saints would then add five more runs in the fourth inning with RBI singles from Nick Newnam and Nate Howeth to start it off. Brack would drive in his third RBI of the game on a double to left and Grogran would knock in two runs on a single to make the score 12-1.

Grogan pitched well for the Saints after getting out of his first inning trouble. His final four innings he gave up two hits the rest of the way in the five inning game, which ended due to the  five-inning run rule  of having a 10 run lead after five innings. Grogan ended up giving up four hits in the game, striking out four and walking four.

Ben Burgan led the Boonsboro offensive attack, going 2-for-2. Tibbs was 1-for-2 with an RBI.

Brack led St. Michaels going 2-for-3 with three RBI. Riser went 2-for-3.

The state championship is the fifth in the school history of St. Michaels, all of them coming this millennium. They won the championship in 2001, 2008, 2010, and 2011. They are now tied with Glenelg and North East for the second most baseball state championships in the MPSSAA. Arundel high school leads all the MPSSAA with ten.