CUMBERLAND — Each team had six hits and three errors, but No. 4 Fort Hill out-scored No. 5 Northern 6-0 in the third inning.
That rally proved to be the difference in the Sentinels’ 8-6 win at Washington Middle on Tuesday.
“I was really pleased with our guys,” Fort Hill head coach Tanner Brode said. “We challenged them a little bit at the plate, get more balls in play. Today was definitely an answer with that.”
Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the third, Carson Bender hit a leadoff double.
Jake Rice drove him in on a single to left before Coye Resh loaded the bases with a hit to left center.
A fly ball was dropped in center field to score a run, setting up Colt Resh for an RBI knock to put the Sentinels (2-0-1, 2-0 Western Maryland Athletic Conference) ahead 4-3.
“It was one of those days where they made some plays,” Northern head coach Phil Carr said. “We probably had at least five or six hard outs. I liked how we’re swinging the bat Saturday and today.”
Christian Riley earned a free pass before Brady O’Neal drove in two runs on a double deep to left.
A sacrifice bunt from Liam Hamilton put the Sentinels ahead 7-3 after three.
“We practice that 2-2 rally, we have this little game that we play with the guys, just get the energy going,” Brode said of the six-run frame. “Once one guy got on, we try and keep the line moving. I think just preaching that to the guys over the first few weeks of the season. Today was the first day we put it into place.”
The Huskies (0-2 WestMAC) answered with three runs in the top of the fourth.
Hunter Livengood worked a bases-loaded walk while Caleb Hinebaugh hit a single past third base.
A fielder’s choice scored the other run to cut Northern’s deficit to 7-6.
Fort Hill’s Cameron Hook drove in the game’s final run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth.
The Huskies left the bases loaded in the fifth and two on to end the game.
“That’s baseball, it’s a game of inches,” Carr said. “It’s a couple inches here and there on some of the hits. (Hunter) Beitzel’s ball down the left field line would’ve cut it to a one-run game. It was about six inches foul, and would’ve put us second and third with one out.”
Coye Resh gave up three earned runs in the fourth before holding Northern to one earned baserunner across his final two innings.
The other two runners came off an error and intentional walk.
Across 3 2/3 innings, he allowed three runs off two hits and five walks with two strikeouts.
“I think he settled in more than anything,” Brode said. “He knew he was going in next after his brother (Colt Resh). Sometimes it takes a little bit longer for him. He didn’t get much time to warm up, so that first inning was probably that moment he could warm up, settle in. And then from there on, he was lights out.”
The Huskies opened the scoring in the top of the first with Hinebaugh drawing a bases-loaded walk.
The Sentinels evened the score at 1 on an error before the Huskies added a pair in the second inning.
Jacob Chambers doubled and Livengood singled to put Northern ahead 3-1.
Chambers had two of the Huskies’ six hits with an RBI and a walk.
Hinebaugh threw four innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
“I thought Hinebaugh did a nice job in relief,” Carr said. “He kinda shut things down a little bit for us. He kept us in the game and gave us a chance to hit our way back.”
Fort Hill hosts No. 2 Allegany (2-0) on Friday at 4:30 p.m.
“I haven’t gotten that first victory against Allegany,” Brode said. “I’d definitely like to get it here on the home field. It means a lot. Jon Irons runs a heck of a program, Scott Bauer ran a heck of a program before him. It would be huge if we could come out victorious.”
Northern continues its six-game road stretch at Hancock on Wednesday, followed by Albert Gallatin, Pennsylvania, on Friday at 4 p.m.
“We’re a work in progress,” Carr said. “To be competitive in these two games, going into the year, I’ll take that. We got a lot of new faces. When you lose nine seniors, you got a lot of new faces trying to learn how to play new positions.”