Aberdeen's bid for its first state title game appearance in nearly 40 years ended in nine innings Wednesday at Joe Canon Stadium in Harmans.
The Eagles (15-8) fell to Huntingtown, 3-1, in a Class 3A state semifinal despite leading, 1-0, into the sixth inning. Both teams scored unearned runs to create the 1-1 tie.
"We had some opportunities and didn't finish, an error here and there, but that's high school baseball," Aberdeen Coach Tim Lindecamp said. "Hell of a journey, no one expected this, so you know what? It's going to sting for a couple of days, but hey, we'll enjoy it, we had a great run out of them, what can you say?"
Aberdeen's Sam Smith singled in the Eagles lone run in the third. Brandon Gurosko reached on an infield single with one out. With two away, Andrew Brndjar grounded to second, but with Gurosko running and limiting the vision of the second baseman legally, both runners were safe. Smith then singled to left to plate Gurosko.
David Fulp, meanwhile, pitched shutout baseball for the first four innings, allowing just two hits and two walks. Brndjar came on in the fifth and the Aberdeen plan was working, although Brndjar loaded the bases in the fifth with two away before getting out of it.
In the sixth, with Aberdeen needing six outs, it was down to four with Brndjar getting the first two outs rather easily. A two-out walk, however, to opposing pitcher Brandyn Vogtsberger, gave the Hurricanes life.
Courtesy runner Spencer Cooper stole second and Jack Morales grounded to Smith at short. Smith bobbled it and his hurried throw sailed high over first baseman Jacob Murdock's head, allowing Cooper to race around third and score.
Aberdeen put two runners on in the eighth inning with two away, but Vogtsberger, who threw all nine innings, worked out of the jam.
The 1-1 deadlock was broken in the ninth. Leadoff man Eddie Harris (2-3) singled with two away, stole second and scored the go-ahead run on AJ Demino's RBI single. Demino scored the other run when Aberdeen dropped a fly ball that should have ended the inning. Aberdeen went down in order in the ninth. Aberdeen was out-hit, 7-5. Anthony Cuellar, Christian Melendez (double) and Zach Thomas had the other Aberdeen hits.
Brndjar took the loss, giving up five hits, two walks and a hit batter.
Eagles roll
Aberdeen won its first region title since 1978 last Friday, beating visiting Lansdowne, 11-4, to win the Class 3A North Region championship. The game was played at Ripken Baseball's Yankee Stadium.
"I think we start off a little tense, a little tight, you know, all hyped up for the game," Aberdeen Head Coach Tim Lindecamp said. "I didn't do anything, those guys did it. The big thing was Dylan Mariano. He started the game, he's a relief pitcher. He came out and pitched strong against Bo Manor and other teams and he's why we're here."
Mariano pitched four innings, allowing five hits and a walk. Andrew Brndjar pitched the final three innings.
Aberdeen fell behind early, 3-0, as CJ Monroe drove in all three runs for the Vikings with a first inning, two-run, inside-the-park home run and a third-inning RBI single.
The Eagles, shut out for two innings by Vikings hurler Steve Yarbor, broke loose in the third. A leadoff walk to Christian Melendez led to a four-run Aberdeen rally. David Fulp doubled in the first run, while Brndjar (single) and Anthony Cuellar also had RBIs. The go-ahead run scored on an error.
Aberdeen added four more in the fourth and a leadoff walk to Melendez again aided the rally. Brndjar (2-3) and Sam Smith had RBI singles and Cuellar (2-4) added a two-RBI double.
Lansdowne added a run in the fifth. Cam McCarthy tripled and scored on Luke Tucker's groundout.
Aberdeen closed out the win with two more in the fifth and one in the sixth. Jacob Murdock doubled in one in the fifth and Brandon Gurosko drove in one on a groundout. Zach Thomas singled in the run in the sixth.
"First of all, we're not done yet, we're on a roll," Sam Smith said. "It's been something like 38 years and I believe we won a state championship that year, too, so we're not done yet and I would like nothing more than to watch these boys win a state championship as I leave."
Smith, a junior, and brother Jack, a freshman, will be relocating to Oklahoma in July.
"It means a lot to me, I mean, I get to keep playing with these guys, because I know I'm not going to see a lot of them again," Brndjar said. "This is amazing. I didn't ask for this."