POTOMAC PARK — Northern was the last area team to open its season, but it overcame some first game jitters to defeat Fort Hill 7-3 on Tuesday at the Hot Stove Complex.
“We were getting antsy,” Northern head coach Phil Carr said. “Everyone’s played two or three games and we’re sitting here with no games. The kids were itching to play. I wanted to turn the horses loose.”
The Huskies (1-0) never trailed, scoring a run in each of the first four innings.
“Tough fought game, some things just didn’t go our way,” Fort Hill head coach Tanner Brode said. “Some of our pitchers took a while to find it. Besides that, I thought we played a clean ball game.”
Luke Ross led off for Northern to open the game and drew a walk. After taking second on a passed ball, he scored on an RBI groundout by Wally Brands.
With two outs in the top of the second, Kyle Broadwater hit a double deep to left. Two pitches later, Ross drove in a pair on a double to left center, extending the Huskies lead to 3-0.
The Sentinels (2-2, 1-2 WestMAC) began to rally in the bottom of the second.
A fielding error at first, a base hit by Bryson Metz and a Cooper Silber walk loaded the bases.
“We challenge these guys in between games, in between innings, in between pitches,” Brode said. “Most of the time, they answer.”
A pair of strikeouts and a fielder’s choice on a bunt stranded the runners to end the inning.
Northern added to its lead in the top of the third.
After the Sentinels went to the bullpen, Brands sent a single on the ground past second base.
Cole Folk drew a walk, and after a fielder’s choice on a bunt, another fielder’s choice drove in a run.
Caleb Hinebaugh grounded to second, but no one was covering first base, allowing the runner from second to score.
Fort Hill trailed 3-0 heading into the sixth in the season opener against Southern.
Against Northern, the Sentinels were down 4-0 in the bottom of the third.
Just like on opening day, Fort Hill rallied.
“It’s very encouraging, I’m thrilled to see what we can see,” Brode said. “If we can clean some of these things up and put it together early, we’re not gonna be fighting in games, we’re gonna be winning these games from the get-go.”
Bobby Brauer and Logan VanMeter singled, putting two on with one out.
Metz sent a line drive to right center for an RBI single and the Sentinels’ first run.
Three pitches later, Silber singled past third base for an RBI.
Jaylan Atkinson followed with another RBI base hit past third base, cutting Fort Hill’s deficit to 4-3.
“They hit the ball well, some of them were tough at-bats by them,” Carr said. “Sticking the bat out, flicking a couple when we were ahead of the count. We made some good pitches, but they did a better job of hitting them.”
Northern responded in the top of the fourth.
Liam Stewart reached on a throwing error at shortstop.
Brands sent a fly ball deep to right that deflected off the diving right fielder’s glove for an RBI single.
Now up 5-3, the Huskies scored a pair in the top of the sixth.
With one out, Jaden Carey stole second, followed by a Ross infield single to third.
After Ross stole second, a ground ball deflected off the first baseman and his throw home was late, allowing Carey to score and giving Northern a 6-3 lead.
Fort Hill swapped pitchers and a walk from Brands loaded the bases before Ross scored on a passed ball, pushing the lead to 7-3.
Folk drew another walk to once again load the bases, but a pop out and ground out ended the inning.
Ross earned the win in three innings, allowing eight hits, three runs and a walk with three strikeouts.
Robert Deatelhauser earned a save with a four inning shutout, allowing four hits with six strikeouts.
“He’s Robert, he just comes in there nice and smooth,” Carr said. “His ball was running today. You could see on some of those swings, they were just fastballs down the middle and they were flicking at it.”
Ross and Brands each had a pair of hits an RBI for Northern.
Steven Spencer went two innings as the Sentinels’ starter, allowing two hits, two earned runs and two walks with a strikeout.
Carson Bender and Brauer finished the game, neither allowing an earned run.
Metz had a big day at the plate, finishing 4 for 4 with an RBI and a stolen base.
“We’re thrilled with Bryson, we started giving out game balls this year,” Brode said. “Bryson would’ve gotten it if things worked our way. He had a great day at the plate.”
Brauer recorded three hits while VanMeter added two.
Fort Hill outhit Northern 12-6.
Both teams are on the road for their next game.
“We got a lot of things to work on,” Carr said of the opening mistakes. “We didn’t field a bunted ball we needed to, the pickoff play was an easy out at second. Just little things, all things that are very fixable.”
Northern heads to Hancock on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
On Saturday, Fort Hill heads to Glen Burnie at 10:30 a.m. followed by a 15-minute drive to North County at 1 p.m.