Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 McHENRY, Md. – The Harford baseball team clinched the MD JUCO conference title with a doubleheader sweep over Garrett Saturday afternoon. Anthony Atticks went the distance on the mound and both Jamal Clarke and Brett Hash hit home runs in an 11-2 win in game one. Hash went deep again in game two to pace Harford to a title clinching 8-5 win in game two.
 
Harford 11, Garrett 2
Atticks (5-2) twirled a complete game gem in game one. The sophomore struck out a career-high nine batters in the contest and allowed just two hits over seven strong innings. Both runs charged to him came in the second inning and were unearned.
 
Clarke continued to re-establish his presence in an already stacked lineup for Harford, blasting a two-run home run, his second long ball of the season, to centerfield in the second inning. The sophomore centerfielder went 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored in the game.
 
Hash, nursing a hamstring injury over the last week, hit his eleventh home run of the season, a two-run shot over the fence in right-centerfield in the fifth inning.
 
Jack Hamner and Chase DeMars each registered three hits in the ball game. Hamner went 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. DeMars went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
 
Harford 8, Garrett 5
The Fighting Owls jumped out to a big lead in game two, putting back-to-back four spots on the board in the first two innings. It was a two-out rally that gave Harford an early cushion in the first inning with John Mastrangelo and DeMars cashing in with a two-run singles.
 
Hamner and CJ Young started the rally in the second inning. After Hamner drew a one-out walk, Young singled to right field. Hamner was able to score all the way from first on the play after a misplay by right fielder Mitch Davis. After a single by Brandon Smith, Hash dug in and hit a rocket that sailed over the fence and through the trees in left-center for a three-run homer. It is the 12^th dinger of the season for Hash, second on the team to Mastrangelo (14).
 
Harford would not score again for the rest of the game and would have to hold off the home standing Lakers. Dalton Reed made the start for Harford. He cruised through the first two innings but hit a wall in the third and was touched up for five runs. Reed pitched three innings, allowing eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Four of the five runs he allowed were earned.
 
Austin Griffie (3-0) would come on to pitch in the fourth inning and went the rest of the way for Harford, earning the win. He was sharp out the bullpen, holding Garrett scoreless over the final four frames and surrendering just two hits and walk. He struck out four and like Clarke at the plate, is starting to emerge as an impact player for the Fighting Owls down the stretch after missing over a month due to injury.
 
Harford (37-7, 24-2 MD JUCO) wrapped up their conference slate Saturday afternoon and now turn the focus towards getting ready for postseason play. That starts Sunday afternoon when the Fighting Owls play host to Region 20 rival Potomac State for a doubleheader. The two-game set will have major implications on seeding at the Region 20 Tournament to be hosted by Potomac State beginning May 8^th. It will be the first meeting between the two teams that competed for the Region 20 title a year ago, with the Fighting Owls getting the best of Catamounts in an offensively explosive battle. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Harford Sports Complex.