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On a hot and sunny Tuesday afternoon, with temperatures reaching into the triple digits at multiple sites, our staff made their mark at all four sites and scouted all eight games, resulting in eight teams fighting for their respective state championship titles this weekend at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen. Personally, I was on-site at Joe Cannon Stadium, but after a discussion with the rest of our staff, I will be providing our thoughts after an action-packed evening.

Extra analysis from the games can be found on YouTube by searching "Prep Baseball Mid-Atlantic" and watching our most recent podcast, going through our initial reactions to the matchups.

4A State Semifinal Matchups

Urbana 5, Broadneck 0

• Urbana's offense came out swinging. Everyone knew this Urbana offense was deep one through nine, and they showed it in this game as they jumped out to an early 5-0 lead behind RBIs from Dillon Dotta, Kayden Lipscomb (West Virginia), and the first-pitch RBI single from uncommitted senior Jake Allen. In all honesty, Urbana struggled to get their offense off the ground at multiple points during the game—but when they did, they capitalized on RISP. 
• Urbana's clutch bottom-half production. In an afternoon where the top half of the lineup (hitters 1-5) combined to go 2-for-19 at the plate, the bottom half held up their end of the bargain, going a combined 6-for-11 with a pair of walks drawn. Future Games alum Trevor Collins was the jumpstarter on the back half, producing two loud barrels, followed up by a string of hits at the bottom of the order.
• Evan Zarroli: Playoff Performer. It wasn't the dominant spring that we expected from Evan Zarroli heading into the spring, but when the lights shine brightest, it feels as if Zarroli performs at his best. His breakout high school performances came back in the 2025 playoffs, and he has carried it over quite nicely, working four scoreless innings of two-hit ball. The defense behind him is strong, allowing him to attack hitters and not focus solely on strikeouts. He also stayed under the eligible pitch count, making him available for Friday's game vs Dulaney.
• Flawless appearance in relief from Jack Miteff. It felt like Urbana was going to run away with this one after their surging start, but Jack Miteff came out of the bullpen and provided five innings of two-hit ball, allowing no runs while only surrendering one walk. He certainly kept Broadneck in this game, but the offense couldn't capitalize on anything against one of the top pitching staffs in the state. 
• Broadneck's offense dozes off. The concern for Broadneck heading into 2026 was how the offense would rebound after losing one of the deepest senior classes in the state, and for most of the season, I think that concern was overlooked not only because of the pitching staff's success, but also how they performed against high-level competition in preseason scrimmages. Broadneck played nine games against teams that spent at least one week in our Power 25 this season, and they only scored >5 runs in one of those games (Chesapeake). The others? Crofton three times (3, 1, 3), Severna Park twice (4, 4), Urbana twice (4, 0), and Chopticon (5). 

Dulaney 2, Walt Whitman 1

• Drew Ranck masterclass. This may have been the best version of Drew Ranck we've ever seen in his high school career --- and did he pick the perfect time to unleash it. The UMBC right-hander struck out ten over five innings of one-run ball, allowing only four hits with nearly 60% strikes, running the fastball up to 91 mph. It was fastball-heavy early, but showed feel for the upper-70s slider, mixing shapes throughout. The ability to miss barrels in the zone throughout was extremely impressive. And wait until we talk about the offensive showing to complement the pitching performance.
• One singular swing decided the game. Dulaney's offense wasn't exactly impressive whatsoever during this game (credit to Whitman pitchers), but Drew Ranck's two-run homer in the fourth inning was the game-leading and eventual decider, launching one into the trees out of Shirley Povich Field. Outside of Carter Frick's single that put the runner on for Ranck, the Lions did not have a single hit for any of the other six innings, getting outhit by Whitman 5-3. 
• Resiliency from Puck Gardiner. After being pulled from the region championship after only nine pitches (allowed 2 BBs and a 1B), he responded with a stellar performance for only being a sophomore. Outside of Ranck's homer, he held Dulaney hitless through three innings while striking out four, working deep into counts but still limiting walks. He also provided the first hit of the entire game in the third inning, a single into left field. One of the state's best underclassmen arms, he showed why on Tuesday night under the lights in a win-or-go-home game.
• Whitman's offense falls apart with RISP. There are two halves to playing offense. Step one is giving yourself a chance by putting runners on base. The second step is capitalizing once those runners are on to cash in runs on the offensive side of the ball. Whitman achieved step one in all seven innings, having a runner reach 2nd in each and every inning. Whitman did not achieve step two, going 0-for-15 with RISP during the game, failing to capitalize even once. Most of that can be attributed to Ranck's dominant performance, but the Whitman offense gave themselves plenty of opportunities, just couldn't cash in. 

3A State Semifinal Matchups

Sherwood 3, Chopticon 2

• Intense battle from start to finish. Chopticon continues to give Sherwood battles in Class 3A, building on last year's state title and translating into this year's semifinal matchup. Not a ton of offense on both sides (really in either 3A game), but the Braves never wavered and gave it their all until the very end, forcing Coach Davis and this Sherwood team to give it their all.
• Sean Beach vs Lee Gisriel... classic. Both arms turned in extremely quality outings. They both gave up the occasional hit, but neither ever allowed for the big swing and pounded the strike zone, limiting walks and attacking hitters. Gisriel, we've seen it all season long, but an even bigger shoutout to Sean Beach, who took one of the deepest lineups in the state to extra innings, and the only runs allowed were on a 2 RBI single from Future Games alum Carter Sweeney-Strawberry (Rutgers).
• Interesting 8th inning mindset from Chopticon. They allow the leadoff single to Jake Berger, who would advance to third on a pair of passed balls in the next AB, but follow it up by intentionally walking the next two hitters (Sarita, Jagannathan). Although it was an explainable decision, they left themselves no room for error, allowing a walk to virtually end the game, which is what happened. 
• Sherwood offense... somewhat quiet in the state tournament. It's safe to say that this Sherwood offense has failed to meet their typical expectations over the last two games. Now, shutdown defense and dominant pitching have been an identity for Sherwood, but in a season where their offense gets consistent production in the entire order, it's a little concerning that the offense hasn't played up to par against arms that throw strikes, but don't have wipeout stuff. They'll certainly need more production this weekend against an upper-80s arm from Decatur than they have in the last few games. We still have confidence in the unit, but something to monitor.

Stephen Decatur 3, Chesapeake-AA 2

• Outstanding performance from Kyle Springle. In all honesty, probably the best I've seen Kyle Springle in a high school game. It felt like from the first inning, he was comfortable and was built for the moment. Struck out two in the first inning and would eventually carry a no-hitter into the fifth before a single would break it up. He would get pulled quickly after that, but it was a special first few innings. Working backward for him was extremely successful, pounding curveballs early before using velocity late to earn elevated whiffs with the heater.
• Control was an issue early for Chesapeake. Matthew Sowers didn't have his best stuff, and it felt like every AB went at least six pitches, forcing him to be pulled after only the second inning. The velocity was there, but the control of the fastball was never there at any point. The slider was wipeout early and showed feel, but eventually Decatur would sit secondary since the fastball couldn't be landed consistently. 
• Perfect pitching management from the Decatur coaching staff. Coach Ferro did a wonderful job managing the pitching staff in this game, and he deserves a lot of credit for it. Kyle Springle was rolling through four innings, and once Chesapeake put a couple of runners on in the fifth, the question was whether to pull him or not. They decided to give him a short leash and went to Braciewski, who didn't have his best stuff but ultimately stranded two RISP. He then turns to Hobgood, someone who has only thrown two innings all season, and there was zero film on, and he absolutely slammed the door in a big moment where Chesapeake had the game-tying run on second. 
• Relentless relief outing from Dakari Bailey. Chesapeake stayed in the game because of Dakari's effort out of the bullpen. Thrown into action earlier than expected, he struck out eight batters over four scoreless innings, surrendering only one hit. The change in speeds had Decatur fooled in the back-half of this game, going from the upper-80s fastball to dropping nearly 30 miles an hour with the curveball, sitting in the low-60s. He deserves a lot of credit for his performance this season, working to a 1.54 ERA in nearly 40 innings. 
• One inning for each team's offense turned the tide. Out of the fourteen frames, runs were only scored in two. Decatur put up three in the bottom of the second, highlighted by a sac fly from Nate Hallman, a single from Landon Daniel, and an infield hit from Johnny Hobgood. Chesapeake's only two runs came in the fifth on a Matthew Sowers RBI single and a passed ball that scored Dakari Bailey. That was virtually all the offense in this game.
• Decatur's secret weapon has been unlocked. Along with Johnny Hobgood's three-hit performance, he saw his third appearance on the mound this season in the biggest moment. As a 2x state champion on the gridiron, he's been in high-stakes situations before, and he showed that experience on the diamond. The 2024 Future Gamer struck out five over two innings of relief, working all three pitches for strikes in the zone, and surrendered only one hit, a one-out single in the top of the seventh. Wouldn't be shocked to see more of him in the state title game.

2A State Semifinal Matchups

Hereford 6, Fallston 2

• Daniel Metz stole the show early. After Fallston went scoreless in the first inning, Daniel Metz put the exclamation point in this game by leading off with one of the farthest baseballs I've seen hit in-game at Joe Cannon, a rocket out of centerfield for a 420+ foot solo homer. The Harford Community College commit would finish going 3-for-3, starting the rally in every single inning they scored.
• Simple mistakes cost Fallston extra offensive production. In their biggest inning of the game, a runner stole second and was immediately picked off to clear the bases with two outs. The Cougars would then string three straight hits together, scoring their only meaningful run of the game in a situation where they should've left the inning with the lead, scoring two at minimum, possibly even three. 
• Merrick Gardner broke the game open. In a tie ballgame in the fifth inning, Merrick Gardner (Chesapeake JC) came up with the bases loaded and capitalized, sending a bullet that burned the left fielder for a bases-clearing 3 RBI triple, giving Fallston a 4-1 lead, which they followed with another RBI triple to take a 5-1 lead heading out of the inning.
• Impressive relief showing from Charlie Smith. After Hereford broke things open, it was up to Charlie Smith to secure the win. He delivered as promised, going four innings of zero earned run baseball, surrendering only two hits and not allowing Fallston to get any momentum. The junior right-hander worked the fastball in the low-80s with feel for a bigger breaking ball, keeping Fallston off balance.

Kent Island 11, C. Milton Wright 1 (F/5)

• Grossi brothers deliver in the big moment. We can start by talking about Derek Grossi on both sides of the ball. One of the Bayside's most consistent arms of the spring, the junior worked 4.1 innings of two-hit ball, striking out four while only surrendering one walk. Throw strikes, mix pitches, and allow the defense to work behind him --- that's the mindset and execution of Grossi all season. On the offensive side, Jack and Derek combined for three hits and 6 RBIs in this game, which included a near-homer from older brother Jack down the right field line.
• Heavy production from the bottom of the order. Kent Island went a little differently when it came to their lineup, switching things up at the bottom of the order. The offense still executed, though, seeing production from a multitude of underclassmen. Freshman Mason Whisman, the reason they got to this game with his heroics in the state quarterfinals vs Glenelg, had 2 RBIs. Sophomores Liam Allen (8 hole) and Alex Brestensky (9 hole) combined for four hits to turn the lineup over quite nicely all night long. 
• Impressive turnaround from this coaching staff. Kent Island finished 8-10 last season, and morale wasn't extremely high in Stevensville. Insert coach Jack Cheney, who takes over the program and goes from eight wins to their second-ever state title appearance in just one season, an unbelievable turnaround. All of this is being done with a roster that heavily involves only two seniors: Jack Grossi on offense and Hayden Austin to lead the pitching staff. Every single other major contributor will return for the 2027 season. Regardless of whether Kent Island ultimately hoists the state title this weekend, this season was an ultimate success for the Bucs. 

1A State Semifinal Matchups

Patterson Mill 13, Patuxent 3 (F/5)

• Patterson Mill puts the pressure on early. After Patuxent broke the scoreless tie and got on the board first, this offense showed they were planning to come out swinging, emphasizing that mindset with a go-ahead two-run homer by Tre McInnes in the bottom half of the inning. For McInnes, that had to have felt good as teams have virtually eliminated him all postseason long with a mix of walks (intentional and non-intentional).
• Freshman battles versus top-tier offense. Patuxent's Chase White was given the ball in the state semifinals against 1A's top-ranked offense, which is not a simple task. Outside of McInnes' first-inning homer, he battled through nearly four innings before losing feel for the mix, eventually getting hit around once the pitch count reached >60.
• Huskies' offense exploded and never looked back. Patterson Mill struck fast, and it was virtually over once they did. The Huskies scored eight runs in the bottom of the fourth as the team notched twelve hits throughout the game. RBIs from James Richardson, Keith Reedy, Tre McInnes, Mason Hemelt, Clay Mathios, and another from James Richardson to cap off the inning were the decider, giving them a 10-2 lead after four complete innings. 
• The pace of the game determined the winner. There was a pretty clear mindset going into this game. If it were a low-scoring game, Patuxent would likely emerge victorious due to their more talented pitching staff, while also being much better rested and available than Patterson Mill, who needed 14 innings to win their region and then allowed 9 runs vs Pikesville, having to burn two arms. If it were an offensive shootout, Patterson Mill would win due to their explosiveness and better consistency throughout the order. Indeed, it was an offensive shootout, and the Huskies emerged victorious. 

Liberty 8, Perryville 0

• Zach Bines: Team MVP for Perryville. In a season where Perryville exceeded expectations to the highest degree, senior Zach Bines was the reason why. The county player of the year won them the region on both sides vs Saint Michaels, and would lead the team in hits in this game against Liberty. He held the Lions offense in check for as long as he could, but the lack of production behind him would eventually come back to bite him, allowing three in the fourth, and Liberty never stopped rolling after that.
• Carter Shanks game-changing performance. In a game where it was in the hands of Carter Shanks on the mound, the La Salle commit worked a complete-game shutout, striking out five along the way. He did surrender seven hits throughout the game, but was "nails" when runners entered scoring position. Working 60% strikes, he attacked hitters and put them on his back, lining up Logan Garey vs Patterson Mill.
• Liberty gained production from anywhere on offense. It wasn't a single portion of the lineup that propelled Liberty to their win, but rather production from multiple contributors spread across the order. Liberty notched eleven hits as a team, led by three hits each from Logan Garey (Marymount) and Brody Freiert. Both Garey and Freiert provided the explosiveness, notching a pair of doubles each. The offense struggled to get off the ground early in this game, but started to put the gears in motion once they saw Bines for the second time through the order.

State Championship Schedule (weather permitting)

Friday, May 22nd 

Class 4A: #2 Dulaney vs #4 Urbana (4:00 pm)
Class 1A: #1 Patterson Mill vs #3 Liberty (7:30 pm)

Saturday, May 23rd

Class 2A: #2 Hereford vs #5 Kent Island (12:30 pm)
Class 3A: #1 Stephen Decatur vs #2 Sherwood (4:00 pm)

* All games will be played at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, MD. Tickets are only available ONLINE at GoFan. *