Northwest's Softball and Baseball Teams Advance to Regional Finals

Wednesday was a big day for the national past-time in Germantown, as both the Northwest baseball and softball teams hosted playoff games. Both teams won close games, the baseball team defeated rival Quince Orchard 5-4, and the Lady Jags outlasted Clarksburg 6-5.

Both teams will be in action again on Friday, May 19 as they will each host the 4A West Regional Finals against Blair. The 16-4 baseball team, now known as the Blonde Bombers since the entire team has dyed their hair blonde in a show of unity for the postseason run, will face the Blair Blazer’s baseball team at 4:00 pm at the baseball field at Northwest.

While the Lady Jags, (there are some blonde’s on the team, we aren’t going to speculate if any of the girls dye their hair or not) will put their 16-2 record against the 14-5 Blair Lady Blazers also at 4:00 pm at Clear Spring Park right next to Northwest High School on Ritcher Farm Road in Germantown.

After beating 14-7 Quince Orchard by a score of 8-2 on March 27 in the regular season, the Blonde Bombers found themselves trailing the Cougars 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning until senior Zach Greber knocked a base hit RBI to score the tying run from third.

The game would remain tied 4-4 until the top of the sixth inning. In the sixth inning, senior Jalen Magbie-Hunter would start the inning with line-drive double to right-center field. He would make his way to third by the time lefty Ryan Kennington came to the plate. Kennington ripped a ground ball up the middle to score what would be the game-winning RBI.

Northwest will face a 14-7 Blair team which is coming off a tight 7-6 victory over Walter Johnson on Wednesday. The last time these two teams met, was just last Monday, May 8, when the Jags traveled to Blair and beat them 8-5 in a regular season game.

While the boys came from behind to secure victory, the Lady Jags were hot early and had to fend off a late inning rally by Clarksburg to advance to the 4A Regional Final game on Friday.

The Lady Jags scored one run in the first inning as lead-off batter, senior Chloe Hickman bunted to get on base and scored on an Alexis Mach double to left field. They got three more in the second inning to jump out to a 4-1 lead over the Lady Coyotes. Sophomore Alex Karamihas lead off by rocking a home run to left center. Freshman Amber Yuille reached on a single. Hickman would move Yuille to third with a double to left field. The bases would be cleared on a hit by junior Karlie Stanford to give the Jags a 3-1 lead.

Yuille held the Coyotes to just two runs, pitching four and a third innings. She had one strike out, two walks and allowed six hits.

The Lady Jags added two more runs in the third inning, as freshman Kayla Qassis lead off the inning with a single to right field, but a throwing error sent her to second base. She scored on a bunt by fellow freshman Megan Ridenour and another throwing error. Ridenour would score on senior Emily Wiley’s single to centerfield. It would be the game-winning RBI. Northwest led 6-1 after three innings. The Jags would not score again.

Clarksburg’s bats woke up in the top of the fifth inning as sophomore Sienna Williams and freshman Abby Marshall both reached on balls hit to left field. Williams would be put out at home on a soft shot fielded by the new pitcher sophomore Alex Karamihas.

In the fifth inning, Yuille was replaced by Karamihas. The inning ended with an 11-pitch at-bat by Clarksburg’s senior Alexandra Janowiak,

who after taking two strikes on the first two pitches fouled off six pitches before grounding out the shortstop to end the inning. Clarksburg however, had cut the lead to 6-3.

In the top of the sixth inning, Clarksburg once again got a spark from the plate, as senior Mary Puig reached on an error. She was brought home on a shot to centerfield by freshman Maddie Haynes. A couple of poor fielding plays on a hit by Williams scored Haynes. The Lady Coyotes were within one run, trailing 6-5 at the end of six innings.

The top of the seventh started with a fly ball for the first out of the inning. However, a double by senior catcher Allie Iacino gave Clarksburg some hope, but the next two batters hit ground ball outs, one to the pitcher and the last to third base. Northwest’s Stanford made the play and threw the batter out at first to end the game.

Northwest will host Blair on Friday. The Lady Blazers are 14-5 for the season and are coming off a 15-5 drubbing of Bethesda-Chevy Chase on Wednesday. Once again, these two teams played each other just last Monday at Blair; the Lady Jags won that contest 22-2.

Captions:

Top: The Northwest baseball team and coach Todd Varesco will host the 4A West Regional Championship game on Friday against Blair High School at 4:00 pm.

Next: Senior Ryan Kennington (3) at bat during Wednesday’s victory over Quince Orchard.

Video: Zach Greber’s RBI base hit ties the game at four in the fifth inning.

Next: Northwest senior pitcher Mac Adelman (12) throws heat during Wednesday’s 6-5 win over Quince Orchard.

Video: Double by Jalen Magbie-Hunter to start the bottom of the sixth inning.

Next: Northwest senior first baseman Michael Yuille (28) holds Quince Orchard’s Griffin Mann (3) close to the base.

Video: Ryan Kennington rips a ground ball up the middle to score what would be the game-winning RBI.

Next: Northwest sophomore Alex Karamihas rounds third after hitting a lead-off home run in the second inning.

Next: Freshman pitcher Amber Yuille held the Coyotes to just two runs, pitching four and a third innings.

Next: Senior Alexis Mack makes a catch for an out.

Next: Alex Karamihas came in to close out the game for the Lady Jags.

Next: The Northwest Head Coach Mike Horton and his team will host Blair in the 4A West Regional Finals on Friday afternoon in Germantown.

Photos by Mark Poetker for Germantown Pulse.