Northeast softball dominant in debut, beats McDonogh
NATIONAL SUMMARY
A strong storm will travel across the center of the country today, spreading steady snow from Montana and Wyoming to Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Farther south, showers and thunderstorms will develop across the central and southern Plains late in the afternoon and at night. Some thunderstorms can become severe from southern Nebraska to Texas and could be capable of producing hail, locally damaging winds and even isolated tornadoes. Meanwhile, rain and snow showers will spread across much of the West. In Southern California, showers and thunderstorms can even bring small hail. Strong winds will develop in New Mexico and West Texas, leading to an elevated risk of wildfires across this region. In the East, dry weather will return after a wet start to the weekend.
As much of a powerhouse as a young Northeast softball squad became last season, coach Joe Hart still carried a few questions heading into the new season. Injuries, tinkering with positions — all possibilities that rattled around his head before Friday night’s season opener against Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference’s McDonogh.
Well, by the second inning of his Eagles’ batting practice, Hart certainly received some answers. Night had only just fallen by the time Northeast bid farewell to its visitors, 15-2, after five.
“I was hoping for a little more [of a close game], but it is what it is. We hit the ball hard and waited on pitches like I told them to,” Hart said. “That was the big key.”
Hart could have deployed his typical arrangement into the field Friday, but didn’t. Junior Natalee Brown (2-for2) only took a few games behind the plate last year, returning from a broken finger, with junior Taylor Castle (3-for-3) assuming the majority of the role in 2023.
“I think it went good. I calmed down a lot from my freshman year so I think I’m just taking it a step at a time,” Brown said, “and just relaxing.”
“It really gives me a lot of flexibility because I can put [Castle] at third base in a big game,” Hart said.
Hart was concerned, too, about how sophomore pitcher Jenna Burroughs would fare. A first-team All-County selection in her first season, Burroughs entered Friday’s game a bit banged up.
After junior hurler Kayleigh Fyffe started and went three innings with a strikeout and two hits plus a run surrendered, Burroughs stepped into the circle. She walked her first batter and let a run cross. Come the top of the fifth, she fanned the first batter and sent the final two to swift outs.
“I think it was chilly, but she finally got her curveball working,” Hart said. “She’s got a lot of movement on her pitches, and I thought Kay through well. “
Other softball scores: Fallston 20, Aberdeen 1
Bel Air 5, Arundel 4
Hereford 7, Patapsco 1
Perry Hall 4, Towson 2 Western Tech 10, Dundalk 8 Manchester Valley 4, Harford Tech 3
South Carroll 8, Frederick 1 North County 7, Westminster 6
Catoctin 8, Liberty 7
Mt. Hebron 5, Marriotts Ridge 1
Reservoir 18, Oakland Mills 1 Centennial 24, Wilde Lake 4 Long Reach 17, Atholton 1 Glen Burnie 12, Winters
Mill 2
Crofton 10, Urbana 1
St. Mary’s Ryken 6, Archbishop Spalding 1
Broadneck 13, Southern 0
Baseball Long Reach 16, Atholton 1, 5 innings:
Focus and attitude: two values Long Reach coach Anthony Lyon preaches to his players.
The previous two years leading the program, Lyon noticed a lack of focus at times. He often reminds the group of last year’s regional semifinal loss to Reservoir in which the Lightning were three outs away from clinching a regional final berth but couldn’t finish.
That defeat lit a fire under the Lightning and reinforced the importance of maintaining focus and attitude. Two games into the 2024 campaign, the Lightning are taking their coach’s message to heart.
Long Reach has displayed great depth through its lineup, scoring 32 runs in its first two games. That versatility was displayed throughout the Lightning’s commanding win over Atholton.
Long Reach (2-0) struck quickly in the first inning. Sophomore Bobby Yates set the tone with a leadoff single to left field.
The Lightning then took advantage of Atholton starter Linus Byrns’ command struggles, drawing three walks and scoring two of their first three runs on wild pitches.
Meanwhile, junior pitcher Noah Murdock gained confidence thanks to the early cushion. He continued to get ahead of hitters, finishing with six strikeouts in five innings.
“It’s tremendous,” Murdock said of the early advantage. “It makes me feel way more relaxed when the guys can [hit] the ball and get some runs going. It just makes it that much easier to throw strikes and not worry about giving up as many runs in the process. You really can trust your stuff at that point.”
— Jacob Steinberg
Franklin 8, Kenwood 1
Perry Hall 6, Eastern Tech 1 Dulaney 11, Pikesville 9 Hereford 8, Bel Air 5 Southern 10, Key 0 Broadneck 5, St Mary’s 4, 8 innings
Harford Tech 5, Manchester Valley 4
John Carroll 15, Mount Saint Joseph 8
Westminster 16, North County 6
South Carroll 10, Frederick 4 Urbana 16, Century 9
Mt. Hebron 7, Marriotts Ridge 2
River Hill 3, Howard 1
St. John’s 13, Archbishop Spalding 3
Girls lacrosse 3
Carver A&T 14, Lansdowne
Spalding 9, John Carroll 7 North Harford 14, Rising Sun 0
C. Milton Wright 16, South Carroll 7
City 15, Edgewood 3 South River 21, North County 9
Chesapeake 15, Old Mill 3 Crofton 18, Southern 13 Gerstell 19, Francis Scott Key 3
Boys lacrosse
McDonogh 12, Hill Academy (Canada) 9
Concordia Prep 17, Gerstell 13
South River 17, North County 5
North Harford 18, Rising Sun 4
Broadneck 13, Kent Island 6 Towson 11, Archbishop Curley 10