Century
Coach: Mike Marrale, 6th year
Last year’s record: 17-4, 12-0 county
First game: Thursday at Loyola, 4:30
Key losses: Jonathan Cooper, Brandon Knorr, Adam Rolfes
Key returners: Nathanael Hibbs, senior SS; Ethan Kiple, senior P/3B; Jeremy Lapp, senior OF/P; Michael Marrale, senior C; Rob Martin, senior P/1B
Outlook: The reigning county champs return eight starters from last year’s squad, and all of its pitchers. That includes five first-team all-county picks, led by the Player of the Year in Marrale (.440, 10 HRs, 31 RBIs). Century seems loaded for a deep playoff run, and Michael Marrale said via email he has six underclassmen to provide depth at each position.
Francis Scott Key
Coach: Jason Baytop, 1st year
Last year’s record: 2-14, 2-10 county
First game: Thursday at Hammond, 4:30
Key losses: Danny Hyman, Luke Luckenbaugh
Key returners: Travis Fullerton, sophomore; Jarrett Hise, sophomore; Jacob Pirrung, senior; Riley Warren, sophomore; Kyle Williams, junior
Outlook: The Eagles have two seniors compared to seven sophomores, and with a new coach it seems to be a fresh start. Baytop, a 2012 Man Valley graduate, will need to replace talent with the losses of Hyman (.442, five HRs, 13 RBIs) and Luckenbaugh. “Everyone is very motivated and determined, so we expect to keep the same intensity throughout the season,” Baytop said via email.
Gerstell
Coach: Cap Poklemba, 4th year
Last year’s record: 16-5, 15-3 MIAA C
Next game: Wednesday vs. St. John’s Catholic Prep, 4:30
Key losses: Blake Bissen, Taylor Hodges
Key returners: Reece Early, junior P; Chris Hagan, sophomore C/IF; Matt Nowakowski, senior P/IF; Matthew Szedlock, senior IF/P; Brennan Sedney, senior IF/C
Outlook: Gerstell moved up to the MIAA B Conference after losing in the C finals last spring to St. John’s Catholic Prep. Poklemba said via email he’d know a lot this year’s team after the first two weeks of the season, with road games against Severn and Boys’ Latin and a home contest with SJCP. Early had a 1.86 ERA last spring, and Hagan batted .452.
Liberty
Coach: Brian Tombs, 2nd year
Last year’s record: 9-10, 6-6 county
First game: Thursday vs. Glenelg, 4:30
Key losses: Justin Brookhart, Mike Burke, Joel Eckles, Joe Gallagher, Braden Lee, Brandon Shipley
Key returners: Nick Loppatto, senior OF; Shawn McMahon, senior IF/P; Blaine Roach, senior OF/P; Peyton Scheufele, sophomore IF/P; Trent Smoot, senior C/OF; Trevor Smoot, senior IF/P
Outlook: The Lions lost the county’s batting leader (Burke, .483) and Brookhart (.448, nine 2Bs), so Tombs said via email there are holes to fill this season. It’s an experienced bunch, with five seniors, and Tombs said "we have a hard-working group … depending on who steps up will determine what type of season we have.”
Manchester Valley
Coach: Shawn Hampt, 9th year
Last year’s record: 7-13, 4-8 county
First game: Wednesday vs. Hereford, 4:30
Key losses: Ryan Gerber, Andrew Howard
Key returners: Griffin Bass, senior OF; Blake Farlow, senior P; Dalton Groupp, junior OF; Caleb Ludwig, senior OF/SS; Ben Rhoads, senior SS/3B; Colin Schuman, senior OF/P; Dalton Winner, senior 1B
Outlook: Groupp gives the Mavericks one of the county’s top players from a year ago — he hit .415 and scored 14 runs while smacking three doubles. Also back is Ludwig, who collected 13 RBIs to tie for the team lead. Hampt said via email the Mavs “have a lot of motivated individuals working hard as a unit.”
South Carroll
Coach: Brian Zawacki, 7th year
Last year’s record: 7-12, 5-7 county
First game: Wednesday at Linganore, 4:30
Key losses: Luke Carlson, Alec Sherwin
Key returners: Alex Hess, sophomore SS/P/OF; Josh Kaye, senior P/OF/1B
Outlook: The Cavaliers bring back their top hitter and pitcher in Kaye, who batted .373 and stole 11 bases, and and totaled 34 strikeouts from the mound. Zawacki said via email South Carroll’s roster is filled with competitive players, although as of last week he was “still looking for the best nine.”
Westminster
Coach: Mark Winebrunner, 7th year
Last year’s record: 11-7, 9-3 county
First game: Wednesday vs. Dulaney, 4:30
Key losses: Justin Cotter, Josh Kosmicki, Dylan Lane, Ryan Mills, Jordan Price, Josh Saltz
Key returners: Ryan Clatterbuck, junior CF/SS/P; Aaron Golberg, senior P/UTL; Nick Henneman, senior OF/P; Haden Hoff, junior C/OF; Billy Scanlon, senior P/IF; Jake Sell, junior IF/P
Outlook: The Owls have only three seniors, but one of them is Scanlon and he’s back after a first-team all-county season in 2017. He led Carroll in ERA (1.03) and went 5-1, so expect to see him as Westminster’s ace. Winebrunner said via email “it will take some time for all of the new pieces to settle in.”
Winters Mill
Coach: Erik Barnes, 2nd year
Last year’s record: 6-13, 4-9 county
First game: Wednesday vs. Towson, 4:30
Key losses: Ari Ezra, Paul Hansel, David Ridgely
Key returners: Alex Barnes, junior P/OF/1B; Dion Blackburn, senior P/C/OF; Grant Bradt, junior P/1B; Devin Callahan, senior P/IF/OF; Connor Carey, senior OF; Christian Klavon, senior IF/OF; Nathan Lance, senior IF; Dylan Waltemeyer, senior P/OF
Outlook: Barnes has eight seniors and five juniors on his roster this spring, so veteran leadership is expected for the Falcons. They lost a first-team all-county player in Hansel (.361, six 2Bs, 16 RBIs), but Alex Barnes (14 RBIs) and Blackburn (12) could be able replacements. “The team has been working hard to improve on last year’s performance,” Erik Barnes said via email.
— Compiled by Pat Stoetzer
