Severna Park 9U Teams Advance To Banana Ball Championship

Both Severna Park 9U travel baseball teams advanced to the championship game of the Broadneck Banana Ball Classic in June after entering the final undefeated.

Unlike traditional baseball, Banana Ball awards one point for each inning won. In the championship game, the White team claimed the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead before the Green team rallied to even the score at 2-2. The White team then captured the fifth inning to regain a 3-2 advantage heading into the sixth and final frame, where every run scored counts as a point. With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the sixth, the Green team held off a White team rally to keep the deficit at one. In the bottom half of the inning, Nathaniel Clause had a base hit to score Jacob Lewis and Jack Logue, providing the tying and winning runs as the Green team completed a dramatic comeback for a 4-3 victory.

In true Banana Ball fashion, both Severna Park teams embraced the entertainment side of the game. The Green team wore ice cream-themed jerseys and an assortment of hats, including a hot dog hat, coonskin cap, crab hat, and yellow cowboy hat, paired with colorful chains, yellow wristbands, and sunglasses. Their coaches sported matching teal banana-print button-down shirts. Throughout the tournament, the Green team entertained fans with hot dog races, crab shuffles, the Chicken Dance, individual dance routines, and the “Peanuts” dance.

The White team took the field in Green Hornets-themed tuxedo jerseys featuring bananas and yellow bow ties, complemented by custom neon green hats and socks. Their performances included dances and skits like “The Lion King,” bowling, “Shrek,” the Backstreet Boys, “Pop See Ko,” and the “Macarena.” During the championship game, the two Severna Park teams staged a mock coaches' argument that turned into a dance-off when the music dropped, drawing cheers from the crowd.

For the Green team, Kit O'Dell hit an impressive .800 for the tournament, while Carter Carroll drove in nine runs. Jacob Lewis and Jack Logue each blasted home runs, and Padraig Murray and Nathan Anderson consistently reached base with hard-hit balls and key walks. Defensively, Asher Kunkel, Cooper Wallace and Jay Watson each made game-saving catches in the outfield. On the mound, Rhodes Metzger, Nathaniel Clause and John Bass each pitched at least three innings and combined to limit opponents to less than one earned run per inning.

The Green team's coaching staff includes head coach Steve Metzger and assistant coaches Scott Clause, Ryan Logue, Mark O'Dell, Matt Anderson and Matt Lewis.

For the White team, Harrison Karsner led the offense with eight hits, six runs scored and nine RBIs. Wesley O'Connor and Lincoln Thierer each added five RBIs, while Gray Bickel contributed five hits, five runs and four RBIs. Lucas Woody reached base consistently, drawing seven walks and scoring five runs.

On the mound, Landon Ladd struck out six batters, while Brody Pierson and Kellan Goan each provided at least two strong innings of pitching. Colin Giles, Wyatt Autry and Nolan Roberts also contributed offensively, while Jackson Jones and James Wheeler anchored the defense behind the plate with outstanding work at catcher.

The White team's coaching staff consists of head coach Dave Thierer and assistant coaches Andy Bickel, Mike Giles, Chris Goan, Kyle Autry, James Woody and Bryan Karsner.

"I am extremely proud of our organization, players, and coaches for getting both of our 9U teams to the championship game," said Green team coach Steve Metzger. "Both teams have worked incredibly hard all season and earned this opportunity. Coach Dave and his players are outstanding competitors who display great camaraderie and sportsmanship. I'm especially proud that both teams fully embraced the spirit of Banana Ball with their dances, costumes, and skits while also playing exceptional baseball throughout the weekend."