BEL AIR, Md. - The Harford baseball team advanced to the 2014 Region XX Championship contest for the third-straight season with an 11-1 victory over Chesapeake on Saturday. The Fighting Owls were in the elimination game after losing a heartbreaker to top-seeded Potomac State in the first game of the day, 11-10.
The Fighting Owls stormed back after trailing by five runs in the first inning with a five-spot of their own in the seventh inning to take a 10-8 lead. However, the Catamounts connected on back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the frame and scratched across the game winner in the eighth to advance.
Daulton Weeks crushed a three-run home run to left center to give the Fighting Owls a 10-8 lead. That big hit followed plenty more by the top of the order.
Tyler Napierala singled to start the rally.
Rob Koski singled him home and the catcher crossed home plate on
Cody Brittain's double in the left-center gap.
Craig Joseph worked a walk before the Weeks' shot.
Brittain homered in the sixth to inch Harford closer. But Potomac State's Jamison Jones connected on a two-out, two-strike home run to make it 10-9 and Billy Sager sent one to almost the same place to tie it. Jones then came up with another two-out hit, his fifth of the day, to plate the game winning run.
In the elimination game, The Fighting Owls jumped all over the Skipjacks early to make sure of their place in their third consecutive Championship Sunday. Harford scored three in the first but the big frame was a seven-spot in the third. The Fighting Owls put the pressure on Chesapeake, forcing seven errors in the game.
Justin Malehorn sent a deep shot to center field for his first home run of the tournament. Napierala finished with a pair of hits and four different players scored two times in the win.
Anthony Atticks bounced back after allowing five runs in the first inning against Potomac State and pitched the complete game in the 11-1 victory over the Skipjacks to improve to 5-2 on the season. He scattered three hits and struck out five.
Harford takes on Pot State at 11 a.m. The Fighting Owls will need to win both games to claim their second Region XX crown in three years. Game two, if necessary, will begin at 2 p.m.
