Ultimate redemption for Hodges, Northeast | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

The Northeast senior pitcher delivered a two-run single with nobody out and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning, leading the Eagles to a 5-3, come-from-behind win over Arundel in the county championship game at Joe Cannon Stadium.

Hodges was the losing pitcher in last year's county championship game against Arundel and in this year's regular season tilt in Gambrills, and he had a costly throwing error in the bottom of the sixth Thursday night that allowed the Wildcats to take a 3-2 lead.

All of that is history now.

"I'm pretty pumped," Hodges said. "I just wanted to come up in that situation. I knew I could get the job done, and I had to make up for that error."

He unleashed a vicious cut on a 1-0 fastball from Brooks Miller that nearly cleared the fence in left field for a grand slam. The ball hit halfway up the wall, and Brody Kean, who had been on first, tripped while rounding second and had to retreat, limiting Hodges to the single.

"I was just looking for that fastball," Hodges said. "I was hoping (it went out), but it still works. It's big enough getting two runs in."

The Eagles used some smallball to ignite their rally.

Josh Rowe walked to lead off the inning, and Josh Rickman followed with a bunt, trying to move Rowe into scoring position. The bunt was well placed down the first-base line and Rickman was able to beat the throw to the bag.

Kean followed with another bunt that rolled beyond the right of the mound but not deep enough to be fielded, after Arundel had moved their infielders back during the at-bat.

"That's not the first game bunts have won us, and it won't be the last," said Northeast coach Adam Bolling. "We never look to sacrifice. Our bunts are not dead outs. We bunt to execute and to get runners on. It's almost a forgotten part of this game, and we heavily believe in it."

Hodges then stepped to the plate and delivered the game-winner, exorcising the memories of last year's 3-1 loss to the Wildcats.

"I've been regretting it since last year," Hodges said. "I knew I had to come back out here and beat the same team and win the county championship."

Earl Geoghegan added an RBI single later in the inning to give Hodges some breathing room for the bottom of the seventh.

The title is the 11th overall for Northeast, but it's the first championship game win for the school. Prior to 1996 the county championship was awarded to the team with the best county record during the season.

"It's a great feeling," Bolling said. "I know John wanted the ball tonight, and I couldn't imagine going to anybody else. A bye (in the 3A East Region playoffs) enabled us to get him out here tonight, and he wanted it. He came through strong in the end."

The game almost resulted in disaster for Hodges and the Eagles.

With the game tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Arundel's Jesse Leszczynski led off with a single and stole second base. After Hodges struck out the next two batters, Josh Morris hit a chopper in front of home plate. Hodges came off the mound to field it, but his throw to first sailed to the right of the bag and into foul territory, allowing Leszczynski to score.

Hodges struck out seven in seven innings and only surrendered five hits, but he walked five and allowed the leadoff hitter to reach base in every inning but the first and seventh. He had to work out of a few jams to keep the Eagles in the game.

With Arundel leading 2-0 in the fourth, Hodges allowed the first two batters to reach before getting the next three in order.

"I kept them off balance," Hodges said. "I used a lot of curveballs and hit my spots real well on the outside corners."

The Eagles scratched a run across in the top of the fifth on a Rickman RBI groundout, but the Wildcats nearly recovered that run in the bottom of the inning, after Brandon Gill doubled and moved to third on a passed ball with nobody out.

Hodges went to a three-quarter sidearm delivery, and tossed effective curveballs to get a strikeout and a popout.

After going 3-0 to Matt Skrenchuk, Hodges elected to put him on first instead of grooving a couple strikes. He then induced Tico Mendoza to ground to second to end the threat.

"When you get nobody out and a man on third base and he doesn't score...It's got to be 110 percent of the time he scores, and John did his job and pulled it out," Bolling said.

The Eagles scored the equalizer in the next inning on an RBI single by Kyle Bush.

Hodges outdueled Arundel starter T.J. Brenneman, who pitched 5 1/3 strong innings.

Brenneman struck out two and walked one and pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the third.

"I thought he pitched really well," said Arundel coach Bernie Walter, who was gunning for his 20th county title. "We didn't play defensively as well as we played all year, and it cost us a lot. We made some mental mistakes and gave them opportunities."

Both teams received byes in their respective playoff brackets, and they are slated to begin their quests for a state title on Monday.

"As good as a county championship is, we have a little bit bigger thing we want to get to, and that's the state championship," Bolling said. "This is an emotional win for us, to pull it out the way we did, and it's good momentum into the playoffs."

Northeast (17-4) 000 011 3 - 5 12 3

Arundel (15-7) 002 001 0 - 3 5 2

WP: Hodges (5-3). LP: Miller. 2B: NE- Rickman, Drinkard; AR- Gill. RBI: NE- Hodges 2, Geoghegan, Bush, Rickman; AR- Jenkins, Ball.