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Nobody needed to remind Corinn Bennett of the stakes.
There were two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning in a scoreless game between Broadneck and Severna Park, and the Bruins had the winning run on base. Stud pitchers Quinlyn Bary and Rylan Crisafulli had combined to hold batters 4-for-57 with an eye-popping 31 strikeouts.
Even with the international tiebreaker putting a runner on second for extra innings, scoring chances remained at a premium. Bennett ended it with the first pitch she saw from Bary, singling to center field to score Rowan Haas and empty the Broadneck dugout in celebration.
With both pitchers looking good despite being so deep into the game, Bennett sensed hers was the opportunity that needed to be decisive.
“It didn’t matter what kind of pitch it was, I just knew I had to get a hit,” said Bennett, who had two of Broadneck’s three hits in the game. “We needed (to win) this game, and hopefully this is going to take us a long way.”
With Broadneck sitting at one loss and Severna Park unbeaten in county play heading into the game, the Bruins needed a win to keep hope alive in the county championship race.
In a battle of two of the best pitchers in the state regardless of division, Crisafulli outdueled Bary as they continued to bring out the best in each other. The Broadneck junior added to her program single-season record strikeout total, tacking on 19 in the victory. She also allowed two hits and walked two. Her current 2026 strikeout mark sits at 222, well above the previous mark of 163.
“I know I have to make my pitches to help the team, and then I just trust my defense,” Crisafulli said.
In addition to the Severna Park win, the Bruins also beat North County 2-0, Southern 3-0, Chesapeake 3-2, Severn Run 10-0, Arundel 2-1, South River 10-2, Old Mill 11-0, Annapolis 15-1, and Crofton 3-0 to clinch a spot in the county championship game opposite Northeast, May 5 at Bachman Sports Complex in Glen Burnie. Crisafulli threw a no-hitter and struck out 18 in the win over North County.
They started the month with losses against Northern, Huntingtown, and Northeast, but finished on a nine-game winning streak.
Broadneck ends the regular season with a 15-3 record.
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