Baseball: First Team

Jack Carey, St. Paul's

Teams consistently pitched around Carey, a junior third baseman, because of his power and penchant for knocking in runs.

This season Carey hit .386 with 12 doubles, three triples, five homers, 28 runs scored and 28 RBIs. With 20 extra-base hits, his slugging percentage was .739.

With another season to go, Carey -- who hit .445 as a sophomore and set school records for hits (49) and RBIs (44) -- is closing in on the state and Crusaders career record of 156 hits set by Steve Johnson (2002-05), and the school career record for RBIs of 121 held by David Beach (2000-03).

Carey is being recruited by Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

Mike Dillon, Calvert Hall

Dillon, a second-team All- Metro pick last season, emerged this year as the Cardinals' ace. The senior right-hander was 9-1 with one save and a 2.03 ERA. His only defeat came in the National Classic in California to host El Dorado.

Dillon pitched a three-hitter with 12 strikeouts to win his second straight Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship game over No. 2 Archbishop Spalding, 2-1. He was part of three of the past four MIAA titles won by the Cardinals.

In addition to wins, Dillon led the team in innings pitched (58‚) and strikeouts (73) and tied Kevin Lingerman in complete games (four.) Dillon will play at Ohio University next year.

Kieran Flannery, St. Vincent Pallotti

Flannery once again was the top catcher and one of the top pitchers in the MIAA B Conference. A four-year starter for the Panthers, Flannery possesses a strong right arm that enables him to throw out base stealers from behind the plate and strike out batters when on the mound.

Flannery, also a first-team pick last season, can swing the bat, too, as his .506 batting average attests. In 32 games, Flannery had seven doubles to give him 36 for his career, five triples, six homers, 47 runs, 25 RBIs and 26 stolen bases. His on-base percentage was .602 and his slugging percentage was .899. He went 7-4 with 63 strikeouts and a 2.67 ERA in 73 innings pitched.

Flannery owns nearly all of the school season and career records for hitting. He will play at Indian River Community College.

Alex Frederick, Dulaney

Frederick closed out a marvelous four-year career as the Lions' Most Valuable Player for a second straight season. A slick-fielding shortstop and pitcher, he finished with 40 consecutive errorless games at shortstop over the past two seasons. The senior batted .484 with six homers and 32 RBIs and was 4-2 as a pitcher this season.

A two-year team captain, Frederick flawlessly handled 82 chances and had 55 assists and 27 putouts. He scored 23 runs and had five doubles and five triples to boost his slugging percentage to .982. He struck out just twice.

Frederick set a school career record for hits (102) and hit .402 over four seasons. He is the only Baltimore County player named to the Four State Elite Classic set for June 2 at Hagerstown's Municipal Stadium. He will play at UNC-Greensboro.

Matt Hillsinger, Archbishop Spalding

With a quick bat from the left side, the speedy Hillsinger has been one of the top outfielders in the metro area for the past two seasons. Hillsinger, who transferred from Bowie to Spalding last year as a junior, was the leadoff batter for the No. 2 Cavaliers and did a terrific job of getting on base and setting the table for the power guys.

He led the team in batting at .446, with 45 runs, 22 RBIs, eight doubles, three homers and 27 stolen bases. Hillsinger, who hit .420 in his two seasons at Spalding, set the school career record for stolen bases with 42, and his 45 hits in a season are second in school history.

Hillsinger will play at Radford University.

Kody Hines, Archbishop Spalding

The four-year starting middle infielder was one of the most reliable players in the program's history. Hines, primarily a second baseman, was a solid defensive player and one of the metro area's top contact hitters.

Hines, a senior who was the Cavaliers' cleanup batter this season, batted .436 with a school-record 45 RBIs, which ties him for sixth place on the all-time state list. In addition, Hines, who also played shortstop when regular shortstop Jeff Kemp pitched this season, had 10 doubles and four homers, scored 27 runs and stole 10 bases.

Batting .368 over four seasons, Hines set school career records for hits (140), doubles (31), RBIs (112) and walks (63). Hines will play at Anne Arundel Community College.

Kevin, Lingerman, Calvert Hall

Early-season arm problems slowed last year's All- Metro Player of the Year, but once he got going, the pitcher- third baseman had another outstanding season. The senior went 6-0 and completed his four-year varsity career by striking out 44 in 43 innings and walking 17. He led the team with the lowest ERA (1.95) for pitchers with at least 25 innings and tied Mike Dillon for most complete games (four).

Lingerman batted .371 as the No. 2 hitter. He led the Cardinals in at-bats (97) and doubles (13), and was second in runs (30), triples (three), homers (three), and RBIs (31).

He finished his career with 37 doubles, which is second all-time in the state, and his 126 hits are fifth on the all-time list. Lingerman will play at George Mason.

Jason Patten, Archbishop Spalding

With his moving fastball and knee-buckling breaking pitches, Patten was the Cavaliers' ace. He was also the team's best defensive outfielder. A three-year varsity starter, the senior right-hander went 7-1 with four saves to give him a school career record of nine saves. Patten, the Anne Arundel County Player of the Year, struck out 79 in 58 innings and posted a 1.50 ERA.

Patten also threw a pair of shutouts, one of them a perfect game against hard-hitting St. Paul's on May 7. He struck out seven and threw only 64 pitches. He finished his three-year career with an 18-6 record, 215 strikeouts and just 62 walks in 158 innings, with a career 2.17 ERA.

He hit .290 this year and finished with a .288 career average and 40 RBIs. Patten will play at Radford University.

Kylin Sims, Dundalk

One of the area's most underrated players, Sims, a senior, got it done at the plate and in the field. Some who have watched him play say he is one of the best defensive high school first basemen they have seen.

Sims, a four-year varsity player, has been described by opposing coaches and players as a magician around the bag with his soft hands, footwork and athleticism. Sims, 5 feet 11 and 225 pounds, has saved many a throw in the dirt with his nifty picks.

With the bat, Sims can drive the baseball for distance or go the other way. The left-handed Sims hit .578 with five homers, 32 RBIs, 17 runs, seven doubles and three triples.

Sims will play at Bethune- Cookman.

Ben Winter, Centennial

Winter, the Howard County Player of the Year for a second consecutive season, led the Eagles to the Class 3A state semifinals for a second straight season with his arm, bat and glove.

The senior left-hander and repeat All-Metro first-team pick went 6-2 with two no-hitters and a one-hitter. He struck out 59 and walked 25 in 36 1/3 innings, while yielding only 16 hits and 11 earned runs for a 2.12 ERA. A fastball with good movement and a biting curve enabled Winter to go 19-4 his three varsity seasons.

Winter also was one of the metro area's top defensive center fielders. Winter batted .400 with seven doubles, five triples, two homers, 27 runs and 22 RBIs. His on-base percentage was .526 and his slugging percentage was .771. He will play at Towson University.

Woody Wlodarczyk, C. Milton Wright

The Mustangs' senior catcher was clearly the team leader. He led C.M. Wright to its second state final and a repeat Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference title during his three years as a varsity starter.

Wlodarczyk sparked the team with his aggressive demeanor, strong arm, extraordinary ability to block the plate and hot bat. Wlodarczyk led the Mustangs in batting at .513, doubles (13), triples (four) and RBIs (32). He also stole eight bases and scored 22 runs. His on-base percentage was .576 and he had a slugging percentage of .855.

Behind the plate, Wlodarczyk threw out 14 of 21 base stealers, a percentage of .667. Wlodarczyk will play at Harford Community College.

Related topic galleries: Philadelphia Eagles, Steve Johnson, Bethune-Cookman University, Major League Baseball, George Mason, Towson University, Religious Leaders

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