Ben Winter shows perfect form as he connects for home run in the fourth inning of Tuesday's contest with Howard. Winter, headed to Towson University, also had a double as the Eagles defeated Howard, 4-1.
Howard coach Jay Morraye talks to his team after dropping Tuesday's battle for first place with Centennial. The Lions have Reservoir, Atholton and Marriotts Ridge left this week.
by Derek Toney
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Advantage Centennial.
The Eagles gained command of first in the Howard County
league Tuesday afternoon with a 4-1 victory over Howard in Ellicott City.
Centennial leads the Lions by 1 ½ games with less than a week remaining in the
regular season.
Ben Winter went 2 for 3 including a home run for the Eagles
(12-3-1 overall, 10-2 in Howard County), and Shane Mattingly pitched a complete
game two-hitter. Centennial said it was a near perfect start for the stretch
run.
“It was a good all-around team win,” said Centennial coach
Denis Ahearn. “We got great pitching from Shane Mattingly, we did a good with
our at-bats, and we took care of the ball in the infield.”
Mattingly, a senior righthander, struck out five and walked
one. His shutout bid was thwarted in the
seventh as Chris Keenan scored Jeff Javier on a groundout. Mattingly had a
little added incentive taking the mound Monday.
“I live right near Howard High School, and a lot of the
players are my friends,” said Mattingly, who walked one. “Everybody played well
behind me.”
Ahearn complimented the defensive of play Tejus Kulkarni and
James Cowan at second and shortstop, respectively, and Alec Baum in leftfield
and Winter in center. The offense provided all the support Mattingly in the
second inning as Baum’s fly out scored Mike Ross.
With two outs in the third inning, Winter cranked a Liam
Aquino offering over the right field fence for a 2-0 advantage. The Towson University-bound senior followed
with a one out double in the fifth inning.
“Coach Ahearn called me down and told me to do what I always
do, just make good contact,” said Winter. “It was a great team win.”
The Eagles put two more runs across in the fourth inning.
Ross opened with walk, then stole second. Baum moved him to third with a one
out single.
An errant pickoff throw to first scored Ross and moved Baum
to second. Baum went to third on a passed ball, then scored on a throwing
error. Mattingly retired eight straight batters before Javier tripled with one
out in the seventh.
“He’s got several pitches that he throws and got great
command,” said Ahearn of Mattingly. “He’s a smart pitcher. He’s able to get
guys out.”
Javier, a senior leftfielder, was the only Howard (10-5,
9-4) batter Mattingly couldn’t get out, reaching base all three times including
a fourth inning double. Javier got to third with one out in the second inning,
but was stranded.
“It was pretty much what we expected. We knew we were going
to see a good pitcher,” said Lions’ coach Jay Morraye. “We hit the ball hard,
we just didn’t get a lot to fall.”
Howard will finish its regular season slate this week with
consecutive games with Reservoir (Wednesday), Atholton (Thursday) and Marriotts
Ridge (Friday). The Eagles will have four games in four school days with Wilde
Lake Wednesday, Long Reach Thursday, Mount Hebron Friday and Reservoir Monday.
“We have great pitching between me, Ben and Joey Couch and
our bullpen is great,” said Mattingly. “Pitching has been a big plus this year,
so I think we’ll do great this week.”
Centennial 4, Howard 1
Howard 000 000
1-1 2 2
Centennial 011 200 x-4 6 1
Mattingly and Patti; Aquino, Wissman (6) and Keenan. 2B:
Howard-Javier; Centennial-Winter. 3B: Howard-Javier. HR: Centennial-Winter.