Severna Park softball coach Duane McAlister has resigned effective Saturday. McAlister is in his third season with the No. 5 Falcons, but has to give up coaching because of his commitment to his full-time job.
"Duane works for General Motors and had been able to get off afternoons the past couple years, but it doesn't look like he can continue doing that," said Severna Park athletic director Wayne Mook.
Mook said that assistant coach Jeff Shepherd might serve on an interim basis or "maybe I will have to come out of retirement."
McAlister, whose daughter Meredith McAlister is the Falcons' senior shortstop, succeeded Mook as head coach.
The Falcons are off to a 2-1 start, including Monday's 3-1 triumph over No. 6 Arundel (3-1).
McAlister's career record is 30-16.
Easter baseball basket
This Easter weekend brings a basket of tasty baseball matchups among ranked teams, including a possible Arundel-Loyola matchup in Gambrills.
Second-ranked Arundel (3-1) is the host of a tournament Saturday that includes No. 19 Loyola (3-0), coached by ex-Orioles Tim Nordbrook and Joe Orsulak.
Arundel plays Gloucester Catholic, a perennial New Jersey power, on the Wildcats' stadium field while Loyola meets Shennanhoah (N.Y.) on the upper field. Both games are at 10 a.m., with the championship and consolation games set for about 1: 30 p.m.
It would be intriguing to see Nordbrook and Orsulak match wits with Bernie Walter of Arundel, who owns the Maryland record for state titles (eight).
Nordbrook played shortstop for Walter in 1967-68 when the latter was managing the legendary Leones amateur team.
Two other tournaments that should be good are set for Broadneck and Severna Park Saturday.
No. 14 Broadneck (3-0) is the host of the Lawrence E. Knight Memorial Tournament in Cape St. Claire. The Bruins will play No. 8 Archbishop Curley (4-3) while 16th-ranked Old Mill (2-2) plays Long Reach (1-1) of Howard County at 10 a.m.
The winners meet for the championship at 1 p.m. with the losers playing the consolation at the same time on the Bruins' adjoining field.
Top-ranked Severna Park (1-1) meets Mount Hebron (1-2) in a 10 a.m. game Saturday at the high school while No. 13 Dulaney (2-0) plays Queen Anne's a couple miles away at Kinder Park, off Jumpers Hole Road, at 10 a.m.
The winners play at 1: 30 p.m. on the high school field for the championship with the consolation at Kinder.
Coach Jim Pitt's Falcons are in a tough week, having lost to second-ranked Arundel on Monday at home, 11-8, and at eighth-ranked Curley, 8-0, yesterday. Today, Severna Park faces Cardinal Gibbons (3-1) at 3: 30 p.m.
Gibbons is coached by Lou Holcomb, a 1985 All-Metro outfielder/pitcher at old Mill, Lou Holcomb, who went on to star at the University of Maryland. Holcomb has the Crusaders, who have been down a few years, off to a 3-1 start.
Sideliners
There were a couple oddities in Arundel's 11-8 win at Severna Park on Monday. In the top of the fourth, Arundel's Mike Fox drilled an apparent double to right-center to score Norris Roy from second base, but Fox failed to touch first base and was called out.The run counted and Fox got an RBI.
Then, in the bottom of the fourth, Arundel starter Andy Kostic struck out the side. What was unique was that Kostic went to a full count on all three hitters. Arundel's sophomore catcher Brian Puglise made the biggest play of his young career by throwing out Severna Park's All-Metro center fielder Tony Dokoupil on an attempted steal with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.
For the first time in his career, Arundel's Walter is coaching a son of one of his former players. Mike Moore Sr. was a second baseman at Arundel in 1978-79 and his son, Mike Moore Jr., is a junior infielder/outfielder.
Several softball fans at No. 2 Northeast's 4-3 loss at No. 3 North County on Monday called the 24-hour Sportsline to say that the final two runs scored by the winners came on a foul ball. The umpires ruled that the play was a passed ball. One run scored from third and the other came home on an ensuing throw.
Northeast coach Marianne Shultz argued but to no avail.
Chesapeake girls soccer and softball coach Lin Sullivan is recovering from surgery for an irregular heartbeat.
The first Pop Trot in honor of former county baseball coach and physical-education teacher Dave "Pop" Warner, who was killed recently in an automobile accident in Nags Head, N.C., is set for May 15. The 5K and one-mile fun walk will be held at Downs Park with proceeds going to needy children. For more information, call 410-255-1168.
Have a note or idea for Sidelines? Call Pat O'Malley's 24-hour Sportsline at 410-647-2499.
Pub Date: 3/31/99