May 2009 Archives

An 8-9 regular season record and a second-round playoff loss don't exactly scream "successful season." However, the Blair Blazer baseball team, boasting those credentials, had one of their best seasons in recent memory this year.

The season started off with a bang on March 20th, as sophomore Peirce Marston tossed a complete game shutout for the Blazers against the Richard Montgomery Rockets on Opening Day. Blair ended up starting 3-0 at home after big wins against Wheaton and Blake. Their struggles on the road, however, were their biggest problem.

Blair only played five regular season games on the road, due to rain outs, but did not get a single win. The Blazers were mercy-ruled (a ten run deficit after at least five innings) by Damascus, edged out by Quince Orchard, Magruder, and Sherwood, and were handled easily by Paint Branch. Perhaps the prototype of their struggles was the game against Sherwood, in which the Blazers were no-hit for a 1-0 loss.

Blair's success at home, however, continued throughout the year. After the wins against Wheaton, who advanced to the second round of the playoffs, and Blake, who advanced to the third round, the Blazers lost a close game to perennial state championship contender Seneca Valley before beating Walter Johnson, Wheaton, and Rockville at home.

It was the doubleheader against Wheaton and Rockville that was the highlight of Blair's season. The Blazers hit four home runs in the two games, two by shortstop Nevin Brown and one each by catcher Alex Egber and third baseman Brady Ettinger, for their only four homers of the year. In fact, coach John MacDonald estimated that in his 20 years of coaching, only "three or four players" had ever hit a home run at Blair before this year.

The Blazers' first round playoff game was a rematch against Richard Montgomery. Down 7-4 in the top of the seventh, the Blazers tied up the game with no one on base and two outs and held the Rockets in the bottom half of the inning, sending it into extra innings. In the top of the eighth, the Blazers' bats exploded, scoring seven runs to give them a commanding 13-7 lead. The Rockets scored three in the bottom of the eighth, but Blair was able to hold on for the win.

The second round game was against top-seed Quince Orchard. Junior Sammy Denenberg pitched a fine game on the mound, taking a no-hitter into the sixth. The Blazers took the lead against one of the best pitchers in the state, Mike Ryan, on a wild pitch in the third inning. The bottom of the sixth, however, was disastrous for Blair. After retiring the first batter he faced, Denenberg walked Quince Orchard's ninth hitter and then served up an RBI triple. After striking out Ryan and walking the next hitter, Denenberg gave up a two-run single to give the Cougars a two run lead. Marston came in for relief and picked off the runner, but the damage was done. Blair was unable to come back in the top of the seventh, and the season was over.

Overall, the Blazers had a good year and their future looks bright. Alex Egber, the star of the team, is a junior who will be back next season. In the 17 regular season games, Egber hit .421 and drove in 20 runs. Key players like Brown, Marston, and Denenberg will also be returning to the squad. However, Blair will suffer with the departure of many seniors who have been with the program for many years, such as Ettinger, outfielder Neil Corran, second baseman David Fegley, and first baseman/pitcher Josh Gordon. Only time will tell how next season will play out.

The Blair Blazers defeated the Richard Montgomery Rockets last Friday in the first round of the Maryland 4A playoffs, 13-10. Down three in the top of the seventh, the Blazers tied up the game with no one on base and two outs and held the Rockets in the bottom half of the inning, sending it into extra innings. In the top of the eighth, the Blazers' bats exploded, scoring seven runs to give them a commanding 13-7 lead. The Rockets scored three in the bottom of the eighth, but Blair was able to hold on for the win.

Blair takes on the top seed in the West bracket, Quince Orchard, tomorrow at 4 at QO. The Blazers lost to the Cougars earlier this year, 2-1.

SILVER SPRING - - On a hot afternoon at Blazer Stadium, Blair lost the final home game of the season, falling to the Gaithersburg Trojans last Saturday 8-0.

The Trojans took an early lead against Blair starter Josh Gordon, as Gaithersburg starting pitcher Nick Riley drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to right field. Gaithersburg scored one more run against Giulian Garruba in the second, four off Peirce Marston in the fourth, and two against Alex Egber in the seventh.

Riley pitched a fantastic game for the Trojans. In a complete game shutout, Riley struck out 13 Blazers, allowing only three hits and walking none. Riley's ERA now stands at 1.49, third in the county.

Two Trojan hitters had great games to contribute to their already stellar seasons. Lead off hitter Robbie Shanley was 4-4, raising his season average to .386. Second baseman Kory Smigocki was 2-4, leaving his average at a team-high .484.

The game became the last of the year when scheduled games against Whitman and Kennedy were canceled due to weather conditions. The Blazers play their first playoff game in the Maryland 4A state champion this Friday at Richard Montgomery. The Blazers are seeded ninth in the west division, the bracket can be found here. The two teams played Opening Day this year, with the Blazers coming out on top 3-0. Peirce Marston pitched a complete game shutout for Blair, turning in one of the better performances for a Blair pitcher this year. If the Blazers beat the Rockets again, they face #1 seed Quince Orchard, who they lost to, 2-1, earlier this season.

The RM game is scheduled for a 4 o'clock start.