Hornets Walk Off With 3-2 Victory Over Lake Shore

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By Colin Murphy

Stepping to the plate with the game tied at two in the bottom of the seventh inning, Sam Barranco knew he was due. “I really needed a hit for our team,” said Barranco afterward, “and that was the perfect time to help the team win.”

It was Barranco’s well-timed RBI single that propelled the 12U Green Hornets to a 3-2 victory over the Lake Shore Gray Sox on the turf at Kinder Park on June 14. A quality start from pitcher Cade Keys and an inning of shutdown relief from Shay Meany were also crucial in the victory, which gave Severna Park a 13-5 record in BMB league play.

“I was really glad to have a lot of fielding help,” said Keys of the Hornets’ strong defense. “That’s what kept us in it until the end when we could finally pull away.”

Solid play was needed against the feisty crosstown rival Gray Sox. Over the first four innings, the Green Hornets managed just one hit against Lake Shore starting pitcher Cameron Clark, and the Gray Sox took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on consecutive doubles by Kyle Kress and Cameron McCartney.

From that point, the Green Hornets’ pitching and defense prevented the Gray Sox from building a significant lead. After surrendering the run in the third, Keys allowed only two more hits through the sixth inning and was buoyed by excellent defensive play from Kristofer Burkowski, Drew Anawalt, Spencer Dietrich, Joey LaMore, and PK McLaughlin. The Green Hornets committed only one error and recorded 12 groundball outs, one outfield assist, and two double plays.

Severna Park pulled even in the bottom of the fourth when Jonathan Seibel led off with a walk, advanced to second on a fielder’s choice by Anawalt, then scored on a Gray Sox throwing error. In the fifth, the Green Hornets took a 2-1 lead when Keys singled with two outs, stole second, and was driven home on a line-drive base hit down the third base line by Tyler Winship.

Not going down without a fight, the Gray Sox tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the sixth when Justin Umstot connected for a home run over the center field fence. Lake Shore continued to threaten after the home run with a single by Connor Fletcher, but again the Severna Park defense came up with a big play, as centerfielder Ryan Hawkins gunned down Fletcher as he attempted to stretch his single into a double.

After the Green Hornets failed to regain the lead in the bottom of the sixth, they once again relied on their pitching and defense to come up with stops in the seventh. Meany took the mound for Severna Park, and after walking the leadoff batter, turned a sharp line drive up the middle into a double play by snaring it at the mound and doubling up the runner at first. The next two batters singled before Meany struck out Clark to end the inning, and a fired-up Green Hornets squad exchanged high-fives as they jogged off the field.

“It was really important to get that last out,” said Meany, “and once we did all that energy spread to the team when we went up to hit.”

Riding the momentum from Meany’s exciting strikeout to end the top of the seventh, Jake Guy led off the bottom half with a single. Jake Hallet followed with a walk, and both runners were advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Winship. With one out, the role of hero fell to Barranco, who came through with the RBI base knock to give the Hornets the 3-2 walk-off victory.

“[Lake Shore] is a good team,” said Keys after the win. “So this was a really important win for us.”

Meany agreed, adding that the Green Hornets’ success this season is a result of their teamwork and closeness as a group. “We have really good chemistry, and everyone likes each other. We focus, use momentum, get hits, and capitalize when we have the chance.”

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