The Maryland Orioles, as representative from the always tough Baltimore-Metro League from the area around Washington D.C. took 10 innings to get a single run in their 1-0 win in their only game on Thursday. It didn’t take nearly that long for the Orioles to get it in gear on Friday morning against Martin Oil.
After Orioles pitcher Jeremy Verhoef set the local Kelley Federation runner-up down in order in the top of the first, his teammates took direct aim on Martin Oil starter Trey Mock.
Maryland had only 11 players when they arrived on Wednesday evening for the Registration Meeting, and two of those left after Thursday’s win for try-outs. The way, the Orioles pounded the ball on Friday morning, Martin Oil probably wondered why they brought so many. On offense, Maryland belted out 12 runs and 12 hits in just 24 trips to the plate to Mercy-rule Martin Oil 12-2 in five innings.
Five runs scored on four hits and a walk in the first inning off Mock. Included in that total was a bunt single by Maryland catcher Josh Rickman, who went three-for-three with three runs scored and two RBI, an RBI single by third baseman Ryan Staton, who went four-for-four, with a double and two RBI, and a triple by Verhoef, who helped himself out with two RBI.
Martin Oil started slowly, but mustered seven hits against Verhoef, who struck out four and didn’t walk a batter.
In the third inning, trailing 7-0, Martin Oil scored twice. Nate Plummer doubled to right with one out and back-to-back two -out singled by the Manning brothers brought in the two runs. First, Justin Manning singled past the third baseman to plate Plummer, then after Justin stole second base, Jake Manning singled to center to score Justin Manning.
Martin Oil threatened in both the fourth and fifth, but were turned away without a score by Verhoef and the Maryland defense, which committed no errors.
In the fourth, Chad Coho singled to left, and Jimmy Watters dropped a base hit into left for two bases to put runners at second and third with one out. Verhoef got a strikeout and groundout to stop that threat. Then an inning later, Mike Albright doubled to open the frame and Justin Manning beat out an infield single, on a swinging bunt. This time, Verhoef fanned a pair, sandwiched around a foul pop down the third-base line.
With Jared Coho on the mound for Martin Oil, the Orioles scored twice in the second inning, with one run unearned on the only error fot he game by either club, and one more tally in the third.
After Coho held them scoreless in the fourth, Maryland came back to end the game via the 10-run Mercy Rule with four more scores.
Ricman singled with one out to start the barrage. Brad Kean ripped a triple to score Rickman. Staton singled for his fourth straigh base hit to drive in Kean. Tyler Drinkard, John Hodges and Verhoef all walked to score Staton, and Spencer Wolfe ended the game with a sacrifice fly to center that scored Drinkard.
“That five-run first inning took something out of us, although we never gave up,” said Martin Oil manager Ed Davis. “We starting hitting and had opportunities, but we just couldn’t capitalize. If we could have gotten a key hit here and there in those last two innings, we might have made a real ballgame out of it. Now we just have to regroup for our game Saturday afternoon against West Chester, New York.
Maryland Orioles 12 Martin Oil 2
Martin Oil – Ju. Manning, 2b, 3-1-2; Ja. Manning, c, 3-0-1; Gray, ss, 3-0-0; C. Coho, 3b, 3-0-1; J. Miller, rf, 2-0-0; Kovac, rf, 0-0-0; Watters, cf, 2-0-1; Pankoke, cf, 0-0-0; Mock, p, 0-0-0; J. Coho, p, 0-0-0; Simpson, dh, 2-0-0; Plummer, 1b, 2-1-1; A. Miller, lf, 1-0-0; Albright, lf, 1-0-1. TOTALS 22-2-7.
Maryland Orioles – May, cf, 3-1-0; Rickman, c, 3-3-3; Kean, 2b, 3-1-1; Staton, 3b, 4-2-4; Drinkard, lf, 1-1-0; Hodges, ss, 3-1-1; Verhoef, p, 3-1-1; Wolfe, rf, 3-1-2; Bertrad, 1b, 1-1-0. TOTALS 24-12-12.
Martin Oil 002 00 2- 7-1.
Maryland Orioles 521 04 12-12-0.
E: A. Miller.
2B: Watters, Plummer, Albright, Staton.
3B: Kean, Verhoef.
RBI: Ju. Manning, Ja. Manning, Staton 2, Verhoef 2, Rickman 2, Kean, Drinkard, Hodges, Wolfe.
SO: Mock 1, J. Coho 1, Verhoef 4.
BB: Mock 4, J. Coho 7.
WP:Verhoef LP: Mock
