Struggling Skipjacks refocus on regionals
WYE MILLS – Chesapeake College began last week right in the thick of the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference baseball race. They ended it in a much different place, thanks to doubleheader sweeps at the hands of Frederick Community College and Community College of Baltimore County/Catonsville.
"We're just not playing very well right now," Chesapeake head coach Frank Szymanski said after Catonsville (25-12 overall, 16-3 league) swept the Skipjacks, 3-1and 16-0, Saturday afternoon. "We need to get back to executing how we were executing earlier in the season."
Brandon Grove's second-inning homer and a fourth-inning, RBI double from Mike Williams gave Catonsville a 2-0 lead in Saturday's opener. Chesapeake (21-16,10-8) pulled within 2-1 as Danny Allen singled and eventually scored on Lane Farmer's RBI groundout in the home fourth, but Mike Marsh singled in a seventh-inning insurance run for the Cardinals.
Winning pitcher Ryan Wagner struck out nine in a five-hit complete game while walking just two to outduel Jim Wix, who spaced nine hits while whiffing three with no strikeouts in his own complete-game effort for the Skipjacks.
Catonsville broke Game 2 open early, scoring 10 second-inning runs. Eddie Guardarroma went 3-for-4 with four RBI and scored twice to pace the Cardinals' 15-hit attack.
Mark Burnside threw a one-hitter with five strikeouts and two walks, yielding only a second-inning single to Blake Musser. Starter Jack Wood (4-2) took the loss, yielding eight runs (seven earned) on six hits and four walks in an inning-plus.
Chesapeake started last week as part of a five-team logjam near the top of the state standings, but Frederick's 10-0 and 5-1 sweep of the Skipjacks last Tuesday had put the squad's state-title hopes in a precarious position. Now, on the heels of the Catonsville sweep, Szymanski said the Skipjacks are pointing toward next month's regional tournament.
"We know we're capable of playing much better – we showed that early in the season," said Szymanski, whose Skipjacks started the season 17-9. "And we have time to get back to that level."
The week started on a sour note as Frederick pitcher Marco Cardon threw a five-inning no-hitter in the Cougars' 10-0, opening-game win. Cardon needed a little help to earn his no-no, but got it as Jordan Gowe was called out on appeal for missing first base after doubling for what appeared to be the Skipjacks' first hit.
Josh Swircha went 3-for-4 and scored twice, Matt Kurelja had two doubles and five RBI, and Sam Crater (2-for-3) contributed two runs and two RBI to pace the Cougars' 14-hit attack in Game 1. Losing pitcher Tyler Tobin (6-2) lasted 1 1/3 innings, yielding six runs on eight hits and three walks with two strikeouts.
Swircha scored twice in Frederick's Game 2 win, with the Cougars using a three-run fifth to break open a 2-1 game. Connor Gorman (2-2) took the Game 2 loss, allowing three hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Gorman was charged with three runs, but just one was earned.
Notes: The Skipjacks played Sunday at Potomac State College of West Virginia University. They return to league play Tuesday at 3 p.m. when they host the College of Southern Maryland in a single, nine-inning game.