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Patrick Blair had a triple and a single, and stole home in the first inning for Calvert Hall
by Joe DiBlasi
They have been pushed, challenged and even beaten, unlike any time in recent memory, but until proven otherwise, the Calvert Hall Cardinals are still the kings of MIAA A Conference baseball.
This fact was demonstrated once again, in damp, cool conditions yesterday at Carlo Crispino Field, as the three time defending champions earned a fourth consecutive trip to the league finals behind the pitching of four-year Cardinal starter Kevin Lingerman and an aggressive, confidence boosting play by junior star Patrick Blair. It all added up to a 7-2 win over second-seeded Archbishop Spalding, in the winners' bracket final of the A Conference Tournament.
"It's a dream come true," said last year's Player of the Year. "To win a championship as a freshman, and have a chance to do it all four years, is really special."
They have been pushed, challenged and even beaten, unlike any time in recent memory, but until proven otherwise, the Calvert Hall Cardinals are still the kings of MIAA A Conference baseball.
This fact was demonstrated once again, in damp, cool conditions yesterday at Carlo Crispino Field, as the three time defending champions earned a fourth consecutive trip to the league finals behind the pitching of four-year Cardinal starter Kevin Lingerman and an aggressive, confidence boosting play by junior star Patrick Blair. It all added up to a 7-2 win over second-seeded Archbishop Spalding, in the winners' bracket final of the A Conference Tournament.
"It's a dream come true," said last year's Player of the Year. "To win a championship as a freshman, and have a chance to do it all four years, is really special."
Spalding, which some experts favored at the start of this double elimination post-season, grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the inning had the
potential to be much bigger.
Matt Hillsinger drew a walk to start the game and, with Adam Summerfeldt at the plate, Hillsinger broke for second where he was gunned down by a perfect strike from catcher Luke Sawyer. Summerfeldt eventually walked as well and Jeff Kemp doubled to put a pair of runners in scoring position for Cavalier coach for coach Steve Miler. Lingerman, however, settled in as he got two consecutive ground ball outs. The first off the bat Kody Hines plated the Spalding run, but the potential damage certainly was limited.
In the bottom of the first, Calvert Hall (25-7) would play text book baseball to tie the score, and mixed in some unconventional play to take the lead.
Sophomore sensation Patrick Fitzgerald, whose on-base percentage is .545, drew a walk to start the Cardinal first. Lingerman laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, adcancing Fitzgerald to second, and Blair rifled a single to center to score Fitzgerald.
Clean-up hitter Mike Dillon was hit by a Paul DeVito pitch and Greg Bryant coaxed a walk to load the bases. With Evan Cain at bat,
Blair noticed that DeVio was throwing from a full wind-up and, on the next pitch, the speedy shortstop broke for the plate and successfly stole home. Cain faked a bunt on the pitch and before Palmer realized what was happening, Blair had slid across the dish. Although it provided just a one-run lead at the time, it was a confidence boost for Calvert Hall which seemed to restore a certain swagger, which the Cardinals have lacked at times this year.
"We've been working on that play," said Cain, the Cards fleet centerfielder. "We needed a run and that play allowed us to make something happen."
On the next pitch, Cain whacked a double to right-center to score Dillon and Byant, and coahc Lou Eckerl's charges had a lead that they would not relinquish. The Cards added three insurance runs in the fifth, keyed by a two-run double off the bat of Fitzgerald.
Lingerman held the Cavs to three hits in six innings of work, advancing the Cardinals to the finals on Wednesday evening (7:00 pm) at Ripken Stadium, where they would have to lose twice to be denied their fourth consecutive title. The "if necessary" game in the A Conference would be played on Thursday, also at Ripken Stadium.
Spalding's ace left-hander DeVito only surrendered four hits, but he walked seven and hit two batters. He fanned nine in four and two-thirds, and gave way to Jeff Kemp in the fifth.
The Cavaliers (27-7) will have the weekend to regroup and prepare for a home game on Monday against the winner of today's elimination game between third-seeded Archbishop Curley and fifth-seeded St. Paul's, at Curley (noon). The winner of the Monday game will advance to Ripken Stadium and take on the challenge of trying to defeat Calvert Hall twice.
Calvert Hall 7, Archbishop Spalding 2
AS 100 000 1 - 2 3 1
CH 400 030 x - 7 4 0
DeVito, Kemp (5) and Palmer; Lingerman, Trionfo (7), and Sawyer.
2B: AS-Kemp, Hillsinger, Summerfeldt; CH-Cain, Fitzgerald.
3B: CH-Blair.
WP-Lingerman LP-DeVito
Matt Hillsinger drew a walk to start the game and, with Adam Summerfeldt at the plate, Hillsinger broke for second where he was gunned down by a perfect strike from catcher Luke Sawyer. Summerfeldt eventually walked as well and Jeff Kemp doubled to put a pair of runners in scoring position for Cavalier coach for coach Steve Miler. Lingerman, however, settled in as he got two consecutive ground ball outs. The first off the bat Kody Hines plated the Spalding run, but the potential damage certainly was limited.
In the bottom of the first, Calvert Hall (25-7) would play text book baseball to tie the score, and mixed in some unconventional play to take the lead.
Sophomore sensation Patrick Fitzgerald, whose on-base percentage is .545, drew a walk to start the Cardinal first. Lingerman laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, adcancing Fitzgerald to second, and Blair rifled a single to center to score Fitzgerald.
Clean-up hitter Mike Dillon was hit by a Paul DeVito pitch and Greg Bryant coaxed a walk to load the bases. With Evan Cain at bat,
Blair noticed that DeVio was throwing from a full wind-up and, on the next pitch, the speedy shortstop broke for the plate and successfly stole home. Cain faked a bunt on the pitch and before Palmer realized what was happening, Blair had slid across the dish. Although it provided just a one-run lead at the time, it was a confidence boost for Calvert Hall which seemed to restore a certain swagger, which the Cardinals have lacked at times this year.
"We've been working on that play," said Cain, the Cards fleet centerfielder. "We needed a run and that play allowed us to make something happen."
On the next pitch, Cain whacked a double to right-center to score Dillon and Byant, and coahc Lou Eckerl's charges had a lead that they would not relinquish. The Cards added three insurance runs in the fifth, keyed by a two-run double off the bat of Fitzgerald.
Lingerman held the Cavs to three hits in six innings of work, advancing the Cardinals to the finals on Wednesday evening (7:00 pm) at Ripken Stadium, where they would have to lose twice to be denied their fourth consecutive title. The "if necessary" game in the A Conference would be played on Thursday, also at Ripken Stadium.
Spalding's ace left-hander DeVito only surrendered four hits, but he walked seven and hit two batters. He fanned nine in four and two-thirds, and gave way to Jeff Kemp in the fifth.
The Cavaliers (27-7) will have the weekend to regroup and prepare for a home game on Monday against the winner of today's elimination game between third-seeded Archbishop Curley and fifth-seeded St. Paul's, at Curley (noon). The winner of the Monday game will advance to Ripken Stadium and take on the challenge of trying to defeat Calvert Hall twice.
Calvert Hall 7, Archbishop Spalding 2
AS 100 000 1 - 2 3 1
CH 400 030 x - 7 4 0
DeVito, Kemp (5) and Palmer; Lingerman, Trionfo (7), and Sawyer.
2B: AS-Kemp, Hillsinger, Summerfeldt; CH-Cain, Fitzgerald.
3B: CH-Blair.
WP-Lingerman LP-DeVito
