Arundel, Northeast set for county title rematch | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

Elko hit a solo home run in the second inning and was hit by a pitch to force in the go-ahead run in the 11th to send the Wildcats to a 4-1 victory over South River Monday to clinch a berth in the county championship game.

"He's clutch for us," said Arundel reliever Steve Jenkins, who pitched four scoreless innings in relief to collect the win.

Arundel (13-4) will play for its third consecutive title against Northeast at 7 p.m. Thursday at Joe Cannon Stadium. The Wildcats have won an Anne Arundel County-high 19 league titles, including last year's - a 3-1 win over Northeast.

When Arundel and South River (13-7) met on April 24, runs were a rarity in Arundel's 2-1 win.

Not much changed in Monday's meeting.

Arundel starter Tico Mendoza gave up one run and five hits in seven innings, and South River ace Eric Aumann served up Elko's second-inning home run, but not much else in eight innings of work.

"They just crowd the plate, so I try and pitch them inside," said Aumann, who struck out four and walked three.

Jenkins (3-1) relieved Mendoza in the eighth, shut down the Seahawks for the first three innings and worked around trouble in the 11th for the win.

"Jenkins had a great game," Wildcats coach Bernie Walter said. "He pitched great. He couldn't do better. He had command of all of his stuff."

The Wildcats managed only four hits off Aumann and didn't seriously threaten until the 11th inning when reliever Alex Cherry lost control of his command.

Cherry (1-1), who retired the first seven hitters he faced, loaded the bases with one out in the 11th inning. Matt Skrenchuk singled down the third-base line and moved to second on a balk. Mendoza hit a slow roller to short, and South River shortstop Jake Sodeman flipped the ball to third. But Skrenchuk slid safely into the bag to put runners on the corners.

After getting Chris Ball to pop out, Cherry hit Jesse Leszczynski to load the bases for Elko. Cherry hit Elko with the first pitch to force in pinch runner Connor Hibbs with the go-ahead run.

"The plan was just to get on base whatever way possible," said Elko, who made a diving catch in right field with one out in the seventh inning. "Fortunately, I was hit, and it still counts."

T.J. Brenneman sent a double-play ball to short, but South River second baseman Russ Donaldson's throw got away from first baseman Brandon Holderness and two runs scored to give Arundel a 4-1 lead.

"If we got the double play, we probably get out with one run," Seahawks coach Kenny Dunn said.

South River loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but couldn't push a run past Jenkins.

Sodeman walked to lead off the inning, and Blake Alderman drove a one-out double to left field. Jenkins got Donaldson to fly out to center and got ahead on Holderness. With an 0-2 count and first base open, Walter decided to intentionally walk Holderness to face No. 8 hitter Jamie Willson. Jenkins struck out Willson looking to end the game and send the Wildcats into the championship game.

"It feels amazing," Jenkins said. "Tico pitched a great game. We just didn't score enough runs. I just came in and tried to keep the damage down and pick up the win."

Aumann's defense bailed him out of the only trouble he found in eight innings.

After loading the bases with no outs, Aumann got Mendoza to hit a shallow fly ball to left field. Willson made a diving catch, got up and threw Brandon Gill out at home for the double play. Chris Ball flew out to Willson to end the inning.

"That was a big-time play," Dunn said.

Elko's one-out home run gave Arundel a 1-0 lead in the second inning, and Aumann retired 11 of the next 12 hitters he faced before Jenkins singled in the sixth.

Alderman's sacrifice fly to deep center field evened the score s in the sixth inning. Jenkins, playing center field, raced toward the wall and caught the ball over his shoulder before falling at the base of the short hill. Mendoza got Donaldson to ground out to Gill at short to strand Sodeman and Brendan Ring.

Mendoza retired 13 consecutive batters following a leadoff single by Donaldson in the second.

Jenkins didn't allow a baserunner until Cherry hit a dribbler down the third-base line in the 10th inning. Bobby Hite walked with two outs, and Jenkins got Loftis to ground out to end the inning.

"We've had good pitching all year," Walter said. "When we've been winning, we've had good pitching. We played well defensively, and we were opportunistic."

Arundel (13-4) 010 000 000 03 - 4 5 0

South River (13-7) 000 001 000 00 - 1 8 2

WP: Jenkins (3-1). LP: Cherry. 2B: SR - Sodeman. HR: AR - Elko. RBI: AR - Elko 2, Brenneman; SR - Alderman.