The Catonsville High School baseball team's season might have ended with a loss to Perry Hall in the Class 4A North Region quarterfinals, but the postseason continued for a quartet of Comets who were invited to all-star games.
Junior infielder Nick Grace and junior pitcher Danny Terzi were selected to the North squad and will play on June 29 at 8 p.m. against the West in the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches Futures Classic.
The game will be held at Bowie Baysox Stadium, home of the Baltimore Orioles Double-A affiliate Bowie Baysox.
On May 30, Catonsville High's 2015 graduates Danny Bruno and Matt LaPrade played two games for the Baltimore County all-stars, who defeated the Montgomery and Howard County all-stars.
Terzi, who was selected as a pitcher for the MSABC Futures game, had his most memorable moments at the plate in the playoff loss to Perry Hall.
Terzi hit the Comets' first and only home run of the season in the top of the fourth inning to cut a 2-0 deficit in half.
In the top of the sixth inning, with the Comets trailing 3-1, he was robbed of a grand slam by an outstanding catch by Perry Hall left fielder Josh Benzing, who grabbed the blast with his glove above the fence.
It was a microcosm of the year Terzi had in minimal at bats.
"Danny is a very good baseball player and his statistics don't reflect that," Catonsville coach Rich Hambor said. "A lot of his balls were hard hit balls right at somebody."
Terzi batted .208 in only 24 at bats and Hambor expects him to be more of a run producer at the plate next season.
"He has power, but it just didn't come through until that last game," Hambor said. "Danny was statistically a victim of a lot of bad luck."
On the mound, he was a solid contributor.
He was second on the team in innings pitched (23) and posted a 2.26 earned run average during the regular season when he went 1-0 in five games.
"He really stepped up for us as a pitcher this year," Hambor said.
While Hambor expects to have a solid starter on the mound next season, he is looking forward to having Terzi back as the starting quarterback on the football team.
"He set the school record for yards passing last season," said Hambor, the Comets football coach. "We are really excited with him coming back this year."
Grace batted .300 during his first full season on the varsity after being called up for the final five games during his sophomore year.
"He is versatile and can play anywhere," said Hambor, who played him in the outfield and at third base.
He also batted Grace third in the lineup where he produced three RBIs and two doubles for the 9-8 Comets.
Hambor admired his fiery play on the diamond.
"He gets down in the dirt and he'll dive," Hambor said. "He will leave his feet on the bases, in the field, everywhere. "He brings a spark. He's a very low-key kid, but he gets excited when he makes a play."
He earned both of his doubles with pure hustle.
"Both of his doubles were hits where most guys they would have been singles," Hambor said. "He comes out of that box so hard, which is what we want everybody to do, but he does it harder than anyone."
LaPrade and Bruno played their last games for the Comets in the regional playoff loss to Perry Hall, but when they were selected to play for the Baltimore County all-stars in the games against Montgomery and Howard counties they cherished the honor and postponed a trip to Ocean City for Senior Week one extra day so they could play in the game.
"It's hard to get kids to play in it and I understand, but they stayed home," Hambor said. "They had two practices and they were the only kids who went to both practices. They said, 'We want to be here and we want to play.'"
LaPrade, who plans to play at CCBC Dundalk or Corning Community College next year, went 3-for-5 and made a fine catch in the two games.
"He was a solid player for four years," Hambor said. "You know what you are going to get from him, good outfielder, good hitter and he can go the opposite way."
LaPrade batted .243 with nine RBIs and two doubles while leading the team in hit by pitches (6).
Bruno, who batted .380 with 13 RBIs for the Comets, was the starting pitcher in one of the all-star games.
On the mound for Catonsville he tossed 15 2/3 innings and earned one save while posting an 0.89 earned run average and 0.957 WHIP (walks plus hits to innings pitched).
He plans to play at the Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville next year.