Blazers miss breaks, fall to Watkins Mill 7-2

APRIL 26, BLAIR-
The fans arrived in throngs to see the first night game at Blair's reconstructed baseball field. They could have easily witnessed a Blair win if a few breaks had gone to the Blazers. Instead, the Watkins Mill Wolverines handed Blair a 7-2 defeat.

This defending 4A state champion Watkins Mill team scored many of their runs as a result of Blair's failure to make the key defensive plays. The Blazers (9-3) still could have made up for this deficit through their hitting but they could not capitalize on several rally attempts.

Blair appeared poised to cut into the Wolverines' 6-0 lead in the fifth inning. Junior Michael Coe was hit by the pitch to lead off the inning. Junior Thomas Kaufman reached on a ground ball that sneaked its way under the legs of the second baseman. However, Coe was gunned down while trying to advance to third base on the play.

At this point, Wolverine pitcher Ryan Moran, who used a swooping curveball to confuse the Blair hitters and retire the first ten batters of the game, suddenly began to lose his control. Moran walked juniors Nick Cope and Matt Collagen to set up a bases-loaded situation for senior David Mervis.

Mervis smacked a line drive that was headed for right field until the Watkins Mill first baseman made a diving catch. His ensuing throw to double off Cope at second ended the inning before a single Blazer could cross home plate.

A bizarre turn of events unfolded in the top of the fourth inning. Coe, making his first starting pitching performance since his complete game against Springbrook, couldn't find the strike zone and walked the first three batters. Then the lights shut down resulting in a half hour break of action.

When play resumed, the damage began. A fielder's choice allowed one run to score and increased the Wolverine lead to 3-0. Then junior centerfielder Will Fassett lost a towering fly ball in the lights and two more runs scored.

The Blazers managed to put two runs on the board in the sixth, but even that rally was stopped by a disappointing inning-ending double play.