FREDERICK, Md. – The Smithsburg baseball team knew it enjoyed better days.
The Leopards warmly remember wins against Clear Spring and Snow Hill in a two-day span last week.
Those highpoints were overshadowed on Tuesday, May 20. Smithsburg went bankrupt, losing all the momentum and good juju it bankrolled at Frederick’s venerable McCurdy Field.
The youthful Leopards ran out of big plays, timely hits and unlabored pitching as Allegany produced a five-run fifth inning to pull out a 6-3 playoff victory in the Class 1A state semifinal.
“We’ve been on an emotional high for the last few weeks, and it finally ran out unfortunately,” said Smithsburg Coach Patrick Moore. “Only one team gets to leave Class 1A at the end of the day winning their last game. Unfortunately, it’s not us.”
The top-seeded Campers rallied to earn a berth in May 24’s state championship game against St. Michael’s at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, Maryland. Third-seeded Smithsburg were left looking into a bright future shrouded by some “What ifs.”
The Leopards had broken a 1-1 tie with two runs in the top of the fifth before the bottom dropped out in a matter of a couple of pitches in the bottom of the inning. It was magnified by Smithsburg’s inability to score in two bases-loaded situations – in the sixth and seventh innings – to end what had all the romance of an epic postseason run.
“Baseball’s tough, man.” Moore said. “We all know that. We get one pitch and get a popup or a flyout there in the bottom of the fifth, and it’s a different game. It could potentially be 3-2, and we go into the sixth hitting.
“It’s a tough game … it’s unpredictable. You never know what’s going to happen.”
Smithsburg found out the hard way.
That 3-1 lead the Leopards had was erased when they couldn’t get third out on the Campers in the bottom of the fifth.
Allegany, which also struggled for much of the game, sent 10 hitters to the plate in the rally against three Smithsburg pitchers. Four of the five runs scored with the bases loaded after two outs.
Smithsburg starter Heath Githens worked into the fifth inning until Myles Bascelli stroked a leadoff single and Cole Ricker walked.
Githens was lifted for Collin Burras, who pitched to three hitters. He was touched for a leadoff RBI single by Kohen Madden, followed by a walk to Kane Williams to load the bases before collecting a strikeout.
Burras exited for left-handed George Mantz, who started by striking out Landyn Ansel for the second out. Liam Buck and Justin Wakefield followed with back-to-back two-run singles to take the 6-3 lead.
“(Githens has) been our horse. We were going to ride him as long as we could,” Moore said “It’s a feel thing. George wasn’t quite ready (to take the mound). He has been our solid guy out of the pen in lockdown situations.
“We went to Collin trying buy George a little time (to finish warming up). It’s a coin flip unfortunately.”
Smithsburg still had opportunities though.
The Leopards loaded the bases in the sixth with Ryan Darr and Mantz drawing walks, wrapped around a Mason Oates single. The threat ended as Gavin Ramarge struck out on a 3-2 pitch with the runners in motion.
Smithsburg came back in the seventh as walks to Jaxon Teson and Chase Sarber alternated between two strikeouts. Eli Bowman was hit by pitch to fill the bases before Darr struck out to end the game.
“Kudos to them for getting out of some jams,” Moore said. “We just got to be better. Sometimes you get that big hit, sometimes you don’t. Overall, it just wasn’t our night.”
Allegany took a 1-0 lead In the third on a two-out RBI double by Madden.
Smithsburg tied the game in the fourth when Mantz led off with an infield single before scoring on Sarber’s one-out, bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right.
The Leopards took the 3-1 in the fifth when Eli Bowman led off with a walk and moved to second on Darr’s sacrifice bunt. Oates drove in the go-ahead run with a single to left.
Oates advanced when Manaz walked before scoring on Remarge’s RBI double.
But the two-run lead didn’t make it out of the inning.
Oates finished with two of Smithsburg’s six hits and an RBI. The Leopards also reached base on nine walks, a hit batsman and an error from four Allegany pitchers.
Githens allowed three runs on four hits, while walking five and striking out five. He also hit a batter. Burrass was touched for two runs, allowing a hit and a walk to go with a strikeout. Mantz allowed two runs in 1 2/3 innings.
Allegany starting pitcher Kohen Madden had two hits and two RBIs to lead the Campers.
For Smithsburg, it was the end of a year of unexpected success, since the Leopards were projected to win six games. Despite the immediate pain of the moment, Moore sees bright days ahead.
“We are in a good situation for the future,” he said “We have some younger guys coming up from J.V. and some younger guys who didn’t get to see much time this year, but they will see more time next year. We only graduate one guy in our batting order.
“Smithsburg baseball is here, and it will be here for the next couple of years. it just wasn’t our night.”
