PERRYVILLE — Fort Hill got off to the fast start it needed, but Perryville responded accordingly and kept the pressure on.
The Sentinels led 2-0 after their first at-bat and were tied at 4. Perryville took the lead on Ty Nelson’s single in the third, the first of five Panther runs in the middle innings to grab control, and its arms combined for four scoreless frames to finish the game off.
No. 7 Fort Hill got hot at the right time to end a lengthy state playoff drought, but No. 2 Perryville made sure the run ended in the quarterfinals on Friday, winning 9-4 behind Evan Hornberger’s four hits and RBIs by five players.
“It stings a little bit,” Fort Hill manager Tanner Brode said. “I think we all wanted this one, but some things just didn’t go our way.
“Our guys fought ‘till the end, so beyond proud of them. One of the best three teams in Fort Hill history for the last 30 years or so. It’s good company to be in.”
Fort Hill, which last made states in 1998, was led by Colt Resh’s 2-for-4 day with two doubles and three RBIs, Bobby Brauer doubled and Coye Resh scored twice.
Perryville ended with a 10-6 edge in hits and made three fewer errors (4-1).
Hornberger tripled, doubled, had two RBIs and scored three times, Zach Bines tripled, Brady McGuirk singled twice and drove in a run, and Landon Miller had a pair of runs batted in.
“These boys are so special,” Perryville skipper Ricky Davis said. “Such a good win. I can’t speak enough about Fort Hill. They played solid defense. They had a really good game. Our hitters, they’ve been battling all year and came up big in spots.”
Fort Hill got off to its dream start following a trio of two-out hits, the latter two netting RBIs off the bats of Colt Resh and Jake Rice for a 2-0 lead.
Perryville (18-5) responded with a four-run frame, benefiting from breaks on balls hit by Bines and Hornberger.
Bines’ netted three bases because the Fort Hill right fielder fell down. Hornberger then lined what should have been a single to left, but it hit a divot and took a high hop over the Sentinels’ left fielder for another triple.
Resh pulled the Sentinels level at 4 in the third with a two-run double before the Panthers ended with five unanswered runs.
Fort Hill had chances late, leaving the bases loaded in the fifth and hitting into a double play in the sixth to erase a lead-off single.
“We didn’t get that timely hit that you’re always looking for,” Brode said. “You’ve got to try to knock in some of those runs, and it just didn’t happen.
“We had some unfortunate calls behind the plate, some that could have gone either way, and if they go a different way, maybe you see a different outcome.”
Perryville right-hander Dom Ferrigno earned the win, allowing four runs on four hits in five innings, striking out five and walking four.
Hornberger slammed the door in relief with two innings of shutout ball.
Brauer was dealt the loss for Fort Hill, surrendering six earned runs on eight hits in four frames. Coye Resh allowed an unearned run in two innings of relief.
Resh played a fine defensive game in center field before taking the bump. He turned a double play after snaring a line-out in the second inning, and his strong throws to the plate prevented runners from scoring from second on more than one base hit.
The Sentinels’ Cam Hook also shined at first base, taking at least two hits away.
Perryville advances to play Liberty in the state semifinals. The Lions walked off Smithsburg, 5-4, in a 10-inning thriller Friday.
Fort Hill graduates seniors Liam Hamilton and Hook but returns the bulk of its production.
Brode hopes the experience gleaned Friday can light a fire in his strong junior class.
“We were expecting a trip like this next year, but I think we’re blessed to get a trip like this this year, kind of prepare them for what it takes in late playoff baseball,” he said.
“Hopefully we can make a nice run next year when most of these guys are seniors.”