Evan Jenkins completes a pitch during Potomac State's 9-6 win over Garrett College on Tuesday afternoon in McHenry, MD
Posted: Apr 23, 2025
By: Jordan Kendall jkendall@times-news.com
MCHENRY, MD — Garrett College led 5-1 after five innings before WVU Potomac State College rallied over the next three frames.
The Catamounts (20-17, 13-12 NJCAA Region 20) outscored the Lakers (31-12, 24-11 Region 20) in the final four innings 8-1 to complete a 9-6 victory on Tuesday.
"Hard fought win, Garrett's a really good team, well coached," Potomac State head coach Doug Little said. "It's hard to win on the road, they've got 30 wins already. They're doing really well in the region, so we knew it wasn't going to be easy."
Potomac State scored two runs in the sixth off a Carson Boober double and a Seth Healy single, then a sacrifice fly from Braden Sloan tied the score in the seventh.
After Brandyn Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh for Garrett, the Catamounts scored the game's final four runs.
"I thought we had a chance to really get up on them offensively early in the first inning," Garrett head coach Eric Hallenbeck said. "We had three runs across, we had second and third with one out, and we didn't get another run there. It's a big difference between a three-run lead and a five-run lead in the first inning."
In the top of the eighth, Reilly Bubb doubled for a run, then the Lakers intentionally walked Lex Wescott and Chris Harbert to load the bases with two outs.
Ryan Conrad drew a walk, then a wild pitch extended Potomac State's lead to 8-6 before another Healy sacrifice fly in the ninth completed the scoring.
"Our hitters did a better job of grinding out at-bats, we didn't give at-bats away," Little said. "We've had guys hit balls today right at guys for outs. That can be frustrating, but the guys didn't let them get to them because we teach them your next at-bat's the most important at-bat."
The Lakers opened the game with an Easton Rhoten single and Noah Broadwater walk, setting up Gonzalez for an RBI single and a two-run double from Christian Harrington.
Wescott singled in the third to put the Catamounts on the board.
In the top of the fifth, Potomac State loaded the bases before a diving catch in center field from Rhoten ended the inning and kept the score 3-1.
"Easton Rhoten is probably the best defensive center fielder in the country, he runs down everything," Hallenbeck said.
The Lakers stretched the lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth on a Harrington single and a fielder's choice.
Evan Jenkins and Chris Harbert each threw two innings in relief with Harbert throwing two shutout frames with five strikeouts for the Catamounts.
Healy, Sloan, Wescott and Boober each recorded two hits with Healy adding a pair of RBIs and a stolen base.
Garrett's six pitchers combined for 12 hits, nine runs and eight walks with four strikeouts.
"We just put too many guys on base," Hallenbeck said. "Ten free passes whether it's a hit by pitch or base on ball, with a team like Potomac State, you can't give them a free base. They're gonna come up sooner or later with guys in scoring position."
Broadwater, Rhoten, Gonzalez and Harrington each recorded a pair of hits with Gonzalez and Harrington adding two RBIs.
Potomac State won this season's rivalry, taking three of four games, "I really feel good about it," Little said. "Like I said earlier, they're a really good team. For you to beat them says a lot about you because they're as good as any team in the region."
The Catamounts end the regular season with a four-game home stand against Monroe (16-28), beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.