MIAA Baseball Weekly Roundup (4/30/2024)

With a three game sweep of John Carroll and a 5-4, 9-inning win over Calvert Hall on Monday, two-time defending MIAA A Conference baseball champion Archbishop Spalding has reduced its magic number for clinching the top seed in the A Conference to one.

Only a total collapse, which would see the 13-0 Cavaliers (19-3 overall) fall in each of their final five league contests, could keep Spalding from clinching the regular season crown. Spalding has two more games with Calvert Hall this week and three games next week with Mount St. Joseph. One more win or one Calvert Hall loss would send the Cavs into the post-season tournament as the No. 1 seed.

In Monday’s win over the second place Cardinals, Drew Emrich scored the winning run after being placed at second to start the 9th inning, advancing to third on a fly ball and scoring on a fielder’s choice grounder by Carson Merritt.

Arian Vargas then completed three strong innings of relief, by striking out the side. He did allow one walk in the ninth, but stranded that runner and the ghost runner by closing the contest with his seventh strikeout of the day.

Calvert Hall (13-8, 8-5) gets two more shots at Spalding this week as it looks to maintain its hold on second place in the league. The Cardinals will close out their regular season with a three game set against Gilman next week.

Archbishop Curley (15-10, 6-7), which is currently tied for fourth place with John Carroll (12-7, 6-7), boosted its playoff hopes by taking two of three from third place Loyola (11-8, 8-8) last week. The Friars also defeated Gilman, 4-3, on Monday and will face the Greyhounds (9-12, 4-9) again on Wednesday and Friday.

Loyola opened its final series of the year on Monday with a 6-4 loss to John Carroll. The Patriots will also meet the Dons on Wednesday and Friday. JC will close its regular season next week with a three game series against Curley.

St. Joe is now 7-12 overall and 3-12 in the conference.

At 10-1, following wins last week over Indian Creek, 15-5, and previously undefeated McDonogh, 4-3, Boys’ Latin has wrapped up first place in the B Conference Black Division.

The battle for places two thru five in the Black Division remains wide open heading into the final week of the regular season, as Gerstell sits at 5-6 in league play, while Annapolis Area Christian and St. John’s Catholic Prep are each 4-7. Each team has three games remaining.

McDonogh (11-4 overall) is now 11-1 atop the Red Division, with a huge game against second-place St. Mary’s looming on Tuesday. With a win, the Eagles will clinch the division. A loss leaves the door open for the Saints (13-4, 9-2). After Tuesday, McDonogh will have two league games left and St. Mary’s will have three.

Severn (8-4) and St. Paul’s (7-5) are also in a battle for third place in the Red Division. Those two meet at Kinder Farm Park on Tuesday then have two other league games remaining.

In the C Conference Red Division, Beth Tfiloh (6-3) holds a half game lead over Concordia Prep (6-4). The teams split their regular season meetings. The Warriors have four games left starting with a home game against Friends on Thursday. The Saints start their final three games of the regular season on Tuesday at Friends.

The battle for the top spot in the Black Division is equally close with Park (8-1) holding a half game lead on St. Vincent Pallotti (7-1). The Bruins, who defeated Pallotti last week, visit the Panthers on Thursday.