Howard's Jimmy Cain is the Howard County baseball Player of the Year

Jon Mierzwa, Reservoir. When Gators ace Cody Morris, the three-time Howard County Pitcher of the Year, was sidelined with a ruptured UCL midway through the season, it looked like Reservoir's hopes for defending its state championship might be lost. But given his chance to step up, Mierzwa and his overpowering fastball rose to the occasion, striking out 60 batters in 42 innings with a .50 ERA.

"Jon had an amazing senior season, showing the whole state what he is capable of doing," coach Adam Leader said. "He wanted the ball on the mound in every game and allowed our team to win some difficult games."

Mierzwa led the Gators to a win over previously unbeaten Mt. Hebron on April 19, and pitched a complete game two-hitter in a 1-0 loss to the Vikings in the regional championship one month later. He allowed only three earned runs and four walks all season, lowering his ERA almost three full points from a year ago. At the plate, Mierzwa was also an asset, batting .404 (23-for-57) with 20 runs, 13 RBIs, 14 walks, four doubles and a triple, and raising his average more than 75 points over last year.

"He is a great young man, with a great baseball attitude," Leader said.

In three seasons on the mound, Mierzwa was 9-2 and struck out 90 batters while walking only 17. He will continue to play baseball next year at Catholic University.

Mark Smith, Mt. Hebron. Selected as the Pitcher of the Year by the coaches, Smith made great strides leading up to his senior season, and his growth propelled the Vikings to their first regional championship since 1980. Last year, Smith had a breakout season, winning six games and pitching to a 2.29 ERA to earn all-county honors. His variety of effective pitches led to some control issues, though, as he walked 35 batters. With refined mechanics this spring, Smith pitched 75 innings, 20 more than last year, and walked only 27 batters, finishing with a .93 ERA.. He led the county with eight wins and 92 strikeouts, outpacing his closest competition by three wins and more than 30 strikeouts.

"He had a phenomenal year. He made the next step that we needed him to have for us to go on the run that we had," coach Brian Culley said. "You could just see the poise he had on the mound. He pitched some big games."

Smith pitched a complete game three-hit shutout to beat defending state champion Reservoir in the regional finals, then earned a comeback win over North Harford in the state semifinals, and pitched a complete game two-hitter in a 1-0 loss to Chopticon in the state finals.

"He has an air of confidence about him. He can pretty much throw any pitch at any time. He's blessed with that ability," Culley said. "He's very intellectual."

Smith was not nearly as adept with the bat, but found a way to contribute whenever he could with sacrifice bunts. He represented Howard County in the prestigious Brooks Robinson All-Star game, and will continue to pitch at Towson University next year. Smith finishes his three-year varsity career at Mt. Hebron with 17 wins, 174 strikeouts and an ERA under two.

Rohan Tilva, River Hill. Although he did not possess an overpowering fastball or a devastating slider, Tilva's ability to pound the strike zone and mix speeds allowed him to consistently befuddle opposing batters. Even after missing most of his sophomore season due to injury, Tilva compiled 15 career victories to become River Hill's all-time wins leader.

"He's a great competitor," coach Wes McCoy said. "He's pitched all the big games for us the past few years. He has a very good mound presence."

This season, Tilva struck out 45 batters in 39 innings, and allowed only 24 hits and 11 walks for a .90 WHIP and a career-best 1.26 ERA.

Right out of the gate as a freshman, Tilva impressed with a 6-1, 1.29 ERA campaign.

"He earned a reputation as a real strike thrower with good off speed stuff, and he used that to his advantage," McCoy said. "He's done great things with what he's got. He's an incredibly intelligent young man."

Tilva, who finishes his Hawks career with 128 strikeouts, will pitch for Johns Hopkins next year.

"They're very high on him. He might get an opportunity to start and take advantage of that opportunity right away," McCoy added.

Garrett Southern, Glenelg. A near unanimous choice as the all-county first team catcher, Southern was the prototypical backstop. He was a team leader from behind the plate, and batted in the heart of the Gladiators order, setting team high water marks in batting average (.386), RBIs (17) and doubles (5), improving his batting average by 174 points over last year. Defensively, Southern caught eight baserunners stealing and committed only two errors in 83 chances for a fielding percentage of .976. He guided the Gladiators pitching staff to an impressive 2.80 ERA.

"Garrett was vital to the success of the team this year. He led by example, and brought a toughness to our team," coach Steve Ballance said. "From clutch at bats to shutting down the running game, he epitomizes what we want a Glenelg baseball player to be: a hard working team player who is ready to play every day."

Southern, who represented Howard County in the Brooks Robinson Senior All-Star game, will continue to play at York College next season.

Matt Ansaldi, Mt. Hebron. Though it might not have been evident at first glance, Ansaldi's value was revealed over the course of Mt. Hebron's historic season. Whether it was a hook-slide into home in the regional championship game, hitting a walk off single in the bottom of the 11th to help clinch the county title, or getting hit by a pitch to move a runner into scoring position in the state championship game, Ansaldi always seemed to be in the mix when things were going well for the Vikings.

"He's a consummate team guy," coach Brian Culley said. "He did what he had to do for us, and he had some huge hits. He really made a point to go get better and faster and stronger, and he was able to spark the team a lot. He could do a lot of different things."

Ansaldi batted .391 with 20 RBIs, six doubles, four triples, 13 walks and five stolen bases in the cleanup spot, all numbers that had him either tied or alone as the team leader. On the mound, Ansaldi was the most effective spot starter/reliever in the league. In 11 innings, he allowed only five hits without a single run crossing the plate.

A natural third baseman, Ansaldi moved to first to help the team and brought his excellent glove and throwing arm with him across the diamond. After three solid seasons contributing to the Vikings varsity, he will continue to play at St. Mary's College next year.

Joey Trapuzzano, Mt. Hebron. The Vikings' everyday second baseman got off to a bit of a slow start this season, but as the temperatures rose, Trapuzzano's bat heated up. He wielded one of the most reliable bats on the team during their memorable playoff run.

"Halfway through the year he just caught fire," coach Brian Culley said. "He was hitting the cover off of the ball."

Trapuzzano finished the campaign with a .361 batting average, 55 points better than his junior season. He also possessed impressive power for a second baseman, roping five doubles, three triples and a home run, and driving home nine RBIs in the two-hole.

"He took on a leadership role," Culley said. "He made the decision that this was going to be a special season."

Trapuzzano was also very sure-handed at his position, using his athleticism to make critical plays in the regional championship and state semifinal games that led to milestone victories.

He will attend Towson University next season, but does not plan to play baseball.

Wayne Baldwin, Chapelgate. Though he played for a school with a relatively small student body, Baldwin put up huge numbers for the Yellowjackets. He collected 31 hits in 50 at-bats for a ridiculous .620 batting average, and tacked on 24 RBIs, 10 doubles, two triples and a home run in the No. 3 spot. He drew 13 walks and reached based three out of every four trips to the plate. He was also a skilled baserunner, stealing seven bases and crossing home plate 28 times.

"Wayne has been a good hitter but became a great hitter this year when he learned to hit the ball where it was pitched and drive the ball to the opposite field," coach Jeremy Story said.

Over the past two seasons, Baldwin compiled 48 hits, 40 RBIs, 15 doubles and 27 walks. He will play for Hood College next year, and although his Chapelgate teammates represented a broad spectrum of talent levels, Baldwin was never above helping his younger, less experienced teammates.

"Wayne has been an absolute pleasure to coach.He works hard, was our leader on the field and was encouraging to the other players," said Story of his slick-fielding shortstop with a strong arm. "Wayne has demonstrated to my younger players how working hard can bring success in baseball."

Casey Crawford, Howard. The leader of Howard's talented junior class, Crawford will look to fill the shoes left by Cain next season, and he possesses the skill set to do just that. Like Cain, Crawford has the size, strength and athleticism to excel in all phases of the game.

"He did a great job on all three sides of the ball," coach Nick Hoffner said. "He was very versatile."

In a typical week, Crawford would start at second base one game while Cain played shortstop, then move to shortstop in the next game when Cain took the mound, then take the mound himself in the next game. In 59 chances, Crawford committed only five errors for a sparkling .915 fielding percentage.

As a pitcher, Crawford led the Lions with 44 innings pitched, finishing with a 5-2 record and a 2.70 ERA, striking out 35 batters against only six walks. Batting in the clean-up spot, he deterred opposing teams from pitching around Cain by batting .372 (29-for-78), including nine multi-hit games, with 10 doubles and 18 RBIs. An all-around athlete, Crawford also plays quarterback for the Lions football team, and used his speed to steal five bases and score 13 runs.

"I'm expecting him to be a team leader next year and do even bigger things," Hoffner said. "I know he's excited about his senior year. He keeps things loose but at the same time, he's a competitor. He knows when to buckle down. He wants to win."

Jordan Patterson, Atholton. The Raiders got off to a slow start, losing five of their first seven games before a strong finish. But through it all, Patterson was a rock of stability and consistency at the shortstop position.

"Jordan was the best defensive shortstop in the county," coach Jon Dupski said."Jordan's work ethic, dedication and determination are characteristics that will be greatly missed at Atholton.He was an all-around player that was the top contributor to our team."

The two-year starter became a team captain this season, and was a key to the Raiders' turnaround. He batted .369 (91 points better than last year), with six doubles and seven stolen bases. He drew seven walks and was hit by five pitches, and struck out only four times in 78 trips to the plate, prompting a move to the leadoff position midway through the season. Supporting his coach's claim, Patterson converted 67 chances, including five double plays, while committing only two errors for an excellent .970 fielding percentage.

Patterson was also counted on to support the pitching staff, delivering 37 innings of work to compile a 4-1 record with 41 strikeouts against only nine walks for a 3.78 ERA.

Patterson plans to continue his baseball career at Hood College next year.

Jack Barry, Reservoir. Since 2012, when he was an undersized freshman chipping in at second base and scrapping for base hits, Barry has become the face of Reservoir baseball. He grew into his frame and became a strong armed third baseman, a reliable starting pitcher, and one of the most feared hitters in the county.

"Jack was easily the leader of our team this year," coach Adam Leader said."His work ethic is like no other. He is a great leader, teammate and person."

Barry turned in his best all-around season, batting .415 with five doubles, a triple and 14 RBIs. With his close friend Cody Morris sidelined with a ruptured UCL, he stepped up on the mound to contribute 34 innings and five victories with a career-best 38 strikeouts and 1.44 ERA. He was also capable of making spectacular plays at third base, and used his strong arm — he was also quarterback of the football team — to make accurate throws to first.

Over the past three seasons, Barry has batted .424 with 45 RBIs, 18 doubles, four triples, and two home runs. He also drew 41 walks, scored 55 runs and stole 18 bases in that span, while also compiling 15 victories and 94 strikeouts on the pitchers mound. He represented Howard County in the Brooks Robinson Senior All-Star game, and will continue his career at Salisbury next year.

"Jack will be sorely missed next year," Leader said. "But I can't wait to make many trips down to Salisbury to watch him play."

Cuinn Mullins, Wilde Lake. By far the most dangerous power hitter in the county this season, Mullins performed at a rate that will be hard to duplicate for quite some time. The senior collected eight hits and three home runs in the first three games of the season, and didn't slow down much, even when teams began to make sure they didn't pitch anywhere near his dangerous bat.

"We went into the season not knowing what to expect," coach Kareem Penn said. "His approach this year was to hit for contact instead of trying to hit for power, and taking what the pitchers gave him."

But when the barrel chested Mullins contacted the ball, the ball flew off of his bat. He finished the spring with a .551 batting average (27-for-49), almost 100 points better than any other public school player, with five doubles, six home runs and 22 RBIs. He also walked his way on base a county-high 21 times as teams pitched around him, and made them pay with 22 runs and six stolen bases.

Rather than having to hide the power hitter on defense, Mullins was also a highly proficient center fielder, able to make diving catches and throw players out on the basepaths.

"We never had to worry about him playing defense," Penn said. "His ability to track the ball and run as fast as he could was very impressive. There were a few balls he caught that only he could have gotten to."

Mullins made an outstanding running catch in deep left field at Oriole Park during the Brooks Robinson Senior All-Star game, and committed only one error in 53 chances for a .981 fielding percentage. He has the opportunity to play Division I football or baseball next year, but has yet to decide. He finished his four-year career at Wilde Lake with 87 hits, a .437 average, 22 doubles, seven home runs, 39 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, 42 walks, and 51 runs scored.

"Any baseball player coming into Wilde Lake will always have that Cuinn standard to live up to," Penn said. "He will be remembered."

Jack Schroeder, Mt. Hebron. After only two seasons, Schroeder has already made his mark on Howard County baseball, but by most accounts, the best is still to come.

"He's got a really good chance to be something super special," coach Brian Culley said. "He can do anything on the field that he has to. He eats, sleeps and breathes the game. He's a competitor."

For the second straight season, Schroeder batted in the three-spot, and his .391 average this spring with seven extra base hits and 14 RBIs propelled the Vikings to a county title and their first regional championship since 1980. His reliable glove and strong arm in left field or right field solidified the Vikings' strong defense.

"He's got quick hands, he can hit for average, he can run, he's got a good arm, and I'm very excited to see him develop," Culley said.

Schroeder is also projected to be the Vikings ace next year. This spring, he was 3-0 with 55 strikeouts in 38 innings for a 2.23 ERA.

In two seasons, Schroeder has already accumulated 52 hits, 34 RBIs, 11 doubles and 81 strikeouts.

Chris Wessels, Long Reach. One of the fastest players in the county, Wessels could do much more than just fly on the basepaths. The senior could hit for average (23-for-59, .390) and power (4 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs, 13 RBIs). He also used his speed to steal 10 bases, and he has the range of a college player in center field.

"Chris is the hardest working player that I've had the pleasure to coach," Long Reach coach Mike Repsher said. "His leadership was outstanding and he set the tone for the rest of the team. His positive character and passion for baseball were easily recognizable."

This season, he even contributed 26 innings on the mound, striking out 22 and allowing less than a hit per inning.

Wessels earned the Fan's Choice Player of the Year award and will play for Mount St. Mary's next year as the first Long Reach player to play Division I baseball since 2007.

He batted .400 with 20 extra base hits and 16 stolen bases during the past two seasons, and finished his career with the Lightning with six home runs.

Dylan Farnella, Glenelg Country. Farnella earned a spot in the Dragons history books two years ago, when he pitched a complete game three-hitter in the MIAA B Conference championship game. While the Dragons haven't been able to duplicate that success as a team, Farnella has only flourished as he has gotten older since then, becoming one of the best all-around players in the area.

"Dylan had an outstanding senior year on the field this season. We have depended upon him on the mound over the last three years, but this year he also put it together at the plate," coach Chris Garber said. "He made a few adjustments to his swing and he hit line drives all over the field, finishing with a .520 AVG. He has certainly made his mark on GCS baseball. His productivity will be extremely difficult to replace in the future."

In addition to his terrific average, Farnella also drove in 16 runs, crossed the plate 20 times, and had five extra base hits including a home run. He drew 12 walks and stole 17 bases, showing his all-around versatility.

As the Dragons' ace, Farnella allowed only four earned runs in 37 innings for a .75 ERA, and struck out 36 batters.

In his career, Farnella earned 18 victories with an ERA of 2.10 in 147 innings of work, and batted .374 in four seasons.

Cody Morris, Reservoir. Coming off of a season in which he earned his third straight Pitcher of the Year honor, and delivered a masterful performance in the state championship game, Morris' legacy was secure before he even stepped on the field as a senior. With a college career at the University of South Carolina, or a first-round MLB draft selection ahead of him, Morris had little left to prove in high school. But when he ruptured his UCL after pitching only 12 innings (striking out 26 batters without allowing a run), Morris showed his true character.

"I know a lot of people think about Cody as an amazing pitcher, but after his injury this year he was able to show the offense side of his game," coach Adam Leader said."He easily could have curled up and watched the rest of the season, but Cody is not that type of kid.He is a team player first, and will do anything for the Reservoir baseball program."

Although he couldn't pitch, Morris could still swing a bat, and he devoted all of his efforts to being the best hitter he could be for the Gators, batting a career-high .453 (29-for-64) with 19 RBIs and five doubles.

He compiled 22 victories and more than 250 strikeouts with an ERA under 1.00 in his high school career, and hopes to pitch for USC in 2017 after a redshirt season.