Senior Devin Jarred went all the way and had two hits and an RBI for the Lakers
More Photos
View All


by Joe DiBlasi

(see video below)
 
In his first season as a high school manager, former Baltimore Oriole shortstop Mike Bordick took his Boys' Latin team to the MIAA B Conference baseball championship finals at Ripken Stadium, last season.  That effort ended in disappointment as St. Mary's upset the top-seeded Lakers, 8-7.  This year, after compiling an overall record of 21-5 and regaining the top seed, the Lakers retruned to Ripken Stadium and claimed their long awaited title.
 
Senior Devin Jerrard pitched a complete game, and had two hits, an RBI and a scored a run, as the Lakers beat a stubborn Park School team, 3-2, to win the B Conference championship.  Park, which came to life in the playoffs as it knocked off Friends, St. Mary's and St. Vincent Pallotti in succession to reach the finals, pushed BL to the bitter end, as the Bruins tried to force a decisive "if game" in this double elimination event.

Jerrard, however, held strong at all the right moments to get the Lakers over the hump.
 
"I was really pumped in the last inning, when I knew that if I got them out, we'd be the champs," said Jerrard.  "They are a very good hitting team."
 
The Lakers scored twice in the first on singles by Paul Mellinger, Jerrard and Josh Winter, and a sac-fly from Huntley Mitchell.
 
The Bruins got one in the third when catcher Rex Gelb doubled home Tony DeMarco, who had drawn a walk.
 
Bordick's club got what proved to be the winning run in the fifth, on Jerrard's sac-fly, after Mellinger doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
 
"It's very gratifying to develop these players and win a championship," said Bordick. "They deserve all the credit."
 
The Bruins got close in the sixth on an unusual play, as Gelb scored from first on a fly ball to left that Reese Hale appeared to catch.  It was ruled a trap and Gelb, who kept running while the play was contested, tallied the Bruins second run of the day.
 
Bruins' manager Dave Suter had high praise for his starter, DeMarco.

"Tony pitched on two days rest, and I'm proud of the way he stepped up," said the first year skipper. "We never quit."
 
Suter got good efforts throughout the playoffs from sophomore Ben Brewster, who shutout Friends 8-0 and got the win at Pallotti on Wednesday, and Ring, who is only a freshman.
 
MIAA B Conference Baseball Finals

Boys' Latin 3, Park 2
P    001 001 0 -  2   7   1
BL  200 010 x  - 3   8    1
DeMarco and Gelb;  Jerrard and Schoenfeld
2B: P-Gelb; BL-Mellinger, Hale.
WP-Jerrard   LP-DeMarco