Severna Park Baseball Defeats Arundel 12-9 For County Championship

The Falcons defeated Arundel 12-9 to win the county title at Joe Cannon Stadium on May 8. Severna Park is the No. 2 seed in the 4A East and begins its playoff season on Saturday after a first-round bye.

Photo by Colin Murphy

Posted Wednesday, May 9, 2018 12:37 pm

Colin Murphy

A county championship baseball game can be a strain on a pitching staff, a poker game in which neither team wants to show its hand, and an otherwise inconsequential appetizer for the main course of the region playoffs.

Just try telling the Severna Park and Arundel baseball teams not to get hyped to play each other.

The Falcons and Wildcats staged and old-school battle on Tuesday night at Joe Cannon stadium, hooting and hollering from the dugouts, fist-pumping in celebration at every big out and taking turns swinging to decide the 2018 county champ. In their third matchup this season, and having split the previous two, the Falcons muscled out 12 runs on 10 hits to top the Wildcats 12-9 on Tuesday and win the Anne Arundel County championship game for the fourth year in a row.

Seniors George Lesher and Kody Milton had a hand in the win offensively and defensively as both pitched and contributed hits in the win, which comes in probably the best rivalry the county and region has seen over the past four years.

“It means something to come out and beat [Arundel],” said Milton.

Said Lesher, “It’s always huge, especially after the last time, they beat us, but now it’s just focus on the next game.”

PHOTO GALLERY: Severna Park baseball vs. Arundel, Anne Arundel County championship game, 5.8.18

The game was chock-full of action right from the start, as both teams scored a pair of runs in the first inning off respective starters Lesher for Severna Park and Moises Aristy for Arundel.

Severna Park trailed 4-2 in the fourth inning when the Falcon offense exploded for six runs to take a lead it would never relinquish. Drew Jeffries, Nick Horgan, Cam Clark, Brendan Simonds and Lesher all had base hits in the inning. Simonds drove in two runs with this single:

Hits by Garrett Whitaker, Cam Clark, Brendan Simonds and George Lesher and Severna Park is in the middle of a five-run fourth to lead 8-4. Here is Simonds’ two-RBI single: pic.twitter.com/dI5USGQ3SJ
— SP Voice Sports (@SPVoiceSports) May 9, 2018

Severna Park tacked on four more runs in the fifth inning, with AJ Weyant, Horgan, Milton and Simonds all hitting. Milton’s two-RBI single gave the Falcons a 10-4 lead, and they led 12-4 by the end of the frame:

Kody Milton rips a two-RBI single to left for a 10-4 Severna Park lead here in the fifth. pic.twitter.com/EHMgH0iCXA
— SP Voice Sports (@SPVoiceSports) May 9, 2018

Of course, Arundel is never going to go quietly into the night; Severna Park learned that lesson on the first day of the season. The Wildcats scored off Severna Park’s relief pitchers and got to within 12-9, but Milton came on to close and seal the victory.

Milton was 2 for 3 with two walks, one intentional, in the win. Horgan was 2 for 2. Clark was 1 for 3 with two walks. Simonds was 2 for 5 with four RBIs. Lesher, Jeffries and Weyant all had hits and runs scored, and Garrett Whitaker walked and scored.

The Falcons were visibly fired up during the game, cheering and high-fiving, then flipped the switched immediately after the game to very subdued—they know they could see Arundel next Tuesday in the 4A East Section I final if the teams, who both have first-round byes and open their playoffs on Saturday, defeat their first playoff opponents.

Still, Severna Park coach Eric Milton reflected proudly, when prompted, on the success of the program over the past four years.

“It’s been a good run,” he said. “I’ve tried to build a good program. We’ve done a good job, I love these kids, I love what we’ve done, and we’re just looking forward to the playoffs.”

Severna Park now turns its attention to the playoffs. The Falcons will face the winner of Old Mill and Meade on Saturday, then play again on Tuesday if they advance.

Lesher said the team’s lineup is potent, the Falcons are confident, and they’re going to keep their energy up.

“It’s going to take a lot of guys to step up,” said Lesher. “If we all get hot at the right time, our lineup, no one can beat us. We just have to make sure we set an example and get everyone amped up for every game, make sure everyone’s in every game so we can beat every team we play.”

PHOTO GALLERY: Severna Park baseball vs. Arundel, Anne Arundel County championship game, 5.8.18