Mount Carmel pitcher Evan Covelley said he could barely feel his arm after Monday's Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference finals game against Annapolis Area Christian School.

The junior said he spent most of the game working off adrenaline to keep the Cougars from being eliminated against AACS, which had yet to be beaten in the double-elimination format.

Covelley threw a and and kept Mount Carmel's hopes alive for its first title since 2001 with a 2-0 victory at Ripken Stadium. The teams will play at 6:30 p.m. today at the same venue to decide the championship.

"We all stayed together as a team, thick and thin," Covelley said. "Everything was working. I was changing speeds. I think we're ready to come back out here and start hitting the ball again."

Covelley allowed just two hits with six strikeouts, two walks and one hits batsman. Mount Carmel improved to 19-5, while AACS fell to 16-7.

Mount Carmel shortstop Bobby Sanzone (3-for-3) provided all of the offense, knocking in catcher Mike Krannebitter twice with a double in the first and a single in the third.

AACS pitcher Thomas Williams was also solid, allowing five hits with 11 strikeouts and no walks.

"We kept it calm," Sanzone said. "He had already beaten us twice. We knew we were going to come back and hit him. We had complete confidence. We're going to come out tomorrow ready to play."

MIAA B Conference Championship

Mt. Carmel 101 000 0 - 2 5 1

AACS 000 000 0 - 0 2 3

Covelley and Krannebitter ; Williams and Farmer. 2B: M-Krannebitter, Sanzone.