Eagles keep hopes alive | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

Geoghegan lined a bases-loaded single into right field with one out in the seventh inning to send the Eagles to a 5-4 win over North County Saturday and put them in position to challenge for a spot in the county championship.

"We did what we had to do, and we're right back in that situation," Northeast coach Adam Bolling said. "We've played in a playoff mentality all year. … As long as we can keep squeaking out wins, whether it be 5-4 or 15-4, a win's a win."

Northeast won its final six games last season to earn a spot in the championship game.

The Eagles loaded the bases with no outs on two walks and an error in the seventh inning, and North County reliever Sean Bertrand got Tyler Drinkard to strike out looking. Geoghegan hit the second pitch he saw past a drawn-in infield for the winner.

"I couldn't wait," Geoghegan said. "I thought Tyler was going to do it. I was waiting for the shot."

John Hodges struck out 10 batters and walked one for the complete-game win, and he reached on an error in the seventh inning to load the bases.

"I had faith in (Earl)," Hodges said. "I knew we were going to get the run as soon as we had two runners on."

Hodges outdueled North County ace Nick Benges for the crucial victory.

After giving up a pair of home runs in the first two innings, including a solo shot to Benges in the first, Hodges settled down. He gave up four runs on five hits and retired seven of the final eight batters he faced. Hodges struck out Bobby Lance and Benges to end the seventh inning.

"Hodges is a good pitcher," North County coach Wayne Feuerherd said. "He mixes his pitches up and throws a lot of strike. When you do that, you're going to be effective."

The Knights jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first two innings with a pair of home runs. Benges smoked a two-out homer to left field in the first inning, and Josh Pfisterer hit a two-run shot to dead center in the second.

"He had a couple pitches that got away from him, and I knew their lineup could make him pay for it, and they did," Bolling said.

The Eagles got a pair back in the second. Drinkard reached on an error and stole second base, and Josh Rickman drove a one-out double to right. Brad Jobst's RBI single scored Rickman to close the gap to 3-2.

Benges got into trouble again in the third inning. He walked Josh Rowe before striking out Brody Kean for the first of three times. Hodges followed with a single, and Drinkard and Geoghegan gave Northeast a 4-3 lead with consecutive RBI singles.

"Our hitting is finally starting to step it up," Hodges said. "It was at the beginning of the year, then in the middle, it was starting to get flat. We're picking up it up a bit."

Bertrand evened the score with a fifth-inning single.

Benges didn't allow a hit after the Geoghegan's third-inning single, and he faced 13 hitters during the next 32/3 innings. Benges gave up five runs - three earned - on seven hits and he struck out six in six-plus innings.

But after Benges walked Rowe to start the seventh, Feuerherd brought in Bertrand to face Kean.

"His pitch count was up, and a fresh Bertrand is pretty good," Feuerherd said.

Bertrand walked Kean and couldn't handle Hodges' come-backer to load the bases with no outs, and Geoghegan's one-out single emptied Northeast's dugout.

North County (13-6) 120 010 0 - 4 5 3

Northeast (15-4) 022 000 1 - 5 7 1

WP: Hodges. LP: Benges (6-3). 2B: NC - Benges, Bertrand; NE - Rowe, Rickman. HR: NC - Benges, Pfisterer. RBI: NC - Pfisterer 2, Benges, Bertrand; NE - Geoghegan 2, Drinkard, Rickman, Jobst.

In other Saturday baseball:

ST. MARY'S 17, SEVERN 13: Senior John Stewart went 2-for-3 with a pair of triples and knocked in five runs to lead the Saints over the rival Admirals.

Sophomore Joey Gukonovich had a triple and drove in four runs for St. Mary's, which scored nine runs in the fifth inning to erase a five-run deficit.

Severn (7-11) 703 003 0 - 13 15 3

St. Mary's (9-9) 402 290 x - 17 11 2

WP: King (1-1). LP: Stanley 2B: SE-Holbrook. SM-Galligan, Wilcox. 3B: SM-Stewart 2, Izzi, Gukonovich. RBI: SE-Stanley 3, Wachs 2, Holbrook 2, Smith, Martel. SM-Stewart 5, Gukonovich 4, Ochall 2, Galligan, Wilcox, Izzi, Mullins.