North Hagerstown Hubs Baseball

2024 - 3A West Region I Championship

Linganore 4, North Hagerstown 3

The No. 1-seed Lancers (14-6-1) scored the tying and go-ahead runs on an error and a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning, and reliever Austin Perando got out of a two-on, no-out jam in the seventh with three straight strikeouts to eliminate the No. 2 Hubs (13-8).

North Hagerstown had taken a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning on Ian Kelley's RBI single.

 

Mac Stiffler struck out 11 over 5 2/3 innings and only allowed three hits for the Hubs. But his control issues -- he had three walks, hit three batters and threw five wild pitches in the game -- proved to be costly in the sixth inning.

Stiffler hit Max Lopacienski in the helmet with the first pitch of the inning, before Augie Jansen singled. Bryce Meyer moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt.

Hunter Street followed with a hard grounder back to Stiffler, who had Lopacienski hung up between third and home. But Stiffler's throw home was wild, allowing Lopacienski to score the tying run and Jason Capone -- running for Jansen -- to take third. Capone scored six pitches later on the wild pitch for the lead.

Henry Ortiz and Russel Crocker opened the seventh inning with infield singles, Ortiz on a grounder in the hole at short and Crocker on a bunt that hugged the first-base line. Perando got out of the threat with his right arm to deliver the Lancers the region title.Zach Dodson started for Linganore and allowed three earned runs on two hits and four walks while striking out eight over 5 1/3 innings.

North took a 2-0 lead in the first inning after opening the game with two walks. Stiffler got an RBI on a groundout and Cam Mertz hit an RBI single.

The Lancers scored a run in the bottom of the first inning on a passed ball, and tied the game in the third on another passed ball.

2024 - 3A West Region I semifinals

North Hagerstown 10, Tuscarora 7

Henry Ortiz went 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs to lead the No. 2-seed Hubs' offense in a home victory over the No. 6 Titans.

North (13-7) will travel to face No. 1 Linganore on Tuesday at 1 p.m. in the region final.

The Hubs pulled away from Tuscarora with a six-run fourth inning that gave them a 9-4 lead.

Noah Ferguson and Luke Bragunier each had two hits and an RBI for North. James Ortiz doubled and drove in a run, and Shawn Saylor and Luke Frazee each had a hit and an RBI.

2024 - 3A West Region I quarterfinals

North Hagerstown 12, South Hagerstown 2

Luke Bragunier went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs, and Henry Ortiz had two hits and pitched a complete game as the No. 2-seeded Hubs (12-7) topped the No. 7 Rebels (2-16) in six innings.

North, the defending region champ, will face No. 6 Tuscarora in the semifinals Saturday at home.

The Hubs will be without star pitcher Mac Stiffler, who was ejected for his language by the home-plate umpire during his at-bat in the bottom of the fifth inning Thursday. Stiffler -- who finished 1-for-2 for the game with an RBI double and a strikeout -- will be suspended for either one or two games. He played center field Thursday, planning to save his arm for the next opponent.

"That ejection will definitely hurt us, regardless of whether it's one game or two games," North coach Justin Lewis said. "But it's all right. We've got other pitchers who can throw. Hopefully, it's only one game and we take care of (Tuscarora) on Saturday, and then he can bounce back for the following week."

Shortly after Stiffler was tossed, North assistant coach Shawn Reynolds also was ejected from the game.

The melee seemed to invigorate the Hubs, who were clinging to a 3-2 lead at the time. Ian Kelley hit an RBI double, and Bragunier followed with a two-run double to make it 6-2.

 

North then poured it on in the sixth, scoring six runs for a walk-off, mercy-rule win. James Ortiz ignited the outburst with an RBI triple.

His older brother, Henry Ortiz, was sharp on the mound, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out five. Both of the runs he gave up were unearned."It's what I expected," Lewis said of the pitching performance. "He came out, threw a lot of strikes, got a few strikeouts and pitched to contact. That's what he does. Now, depending on what happens, we'll have to ride him a little more."

South starter Isaiah Licorish had 10 strikeouts in five innings.

2024 North Hagerstown Hubs 

 2024 North Hagerstown JV Hubs 

3A Region 1 Championship

Hubs hold off TJ, punch ticket to States

May 16, 2023----The Hubs built a 7-1 lead and held off a furious seventh inning rally from Thomas Johnson before finally closing the door for a 7-6 victory. The win propels North into the 3A State Quarterfinals on Friday.

Mac Stiffler was dominate on the bump. The West Virginia-bound righty held the Patriots to one unearned run with a season-high 11 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings to earn the victory.

Luke Frazee opened the game for North with a single, then two batters later Henry Ortiz followed with another single. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Mac Stiffler helped his own cause with an RBI ground out for a 1-0 North lead.

The Patriots tied the game in the top of the third as Kaden Hnath scored from third on a fielder choice. With the infield playing in, Hubs second basemen Aden Hose made a tough play, nailing a TJ baserunner trying to advance to third.

North blew the game open in the fourth inning with a six-run frame. Hose and Frazee had big 2-run singles, while Stiffler and Carson Casey also drove in a run for the Hubs. North sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning with four hits, four walks and an error.

Stiffler remained strong before reaching his pitch limit with two outs in the sixth inning. Lucas Strickland retired the final out in the inning.

Things got very dicey in the top of the seventh and the first five Patriots reached base and scored. Mikhai Evans flew out for the first out but drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to cut the North lead to 7-6.

Ty Allen followed with a single to put the tying run aboard. Strickland struck out Jacob Hnath for the second out but walked number nine batter Kaden Hnath to move the tying run into scoring position.

Leadoff batter Lucas Chappell, who started the TJ rally with a walk would battle Strickland with a 10 pitch at bat. Strickland refused to lose the battle as the senior righty got Chappell to fly out to Carter Conroy for the final out of the game and a Hubs 2023 Region Championship.

North improves to (16-4-1) on the season and will await their next opponent in the Maryland Class 3A State Quarterfinals. This is the Hubs first region championship since 2013.

3A West Region I semifinals
North Hagerstown 9, Linganore 3 

May 13, 2023----Dylan Shoemaker went 3-for-4 with a double, Carson Casey also had three hits, and the No. 1-seeded Hubs got strong performances on the mound from Henry Ortiz and Lucas Strickland to advance to the region final with a victory over the No. 5 Lancers.

It was the first playoff victory for second-year head coach Justin Lewis.

“Last year, we lost to these guys in the first round so it feels good to get this one,” Lewis said.

North (15-4-1) went up 3-0 in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single by Casey and a two-run single by Fletcher Lewis.

In the second, Mac Stiffler singled in a run and then scored on an error, upping the lead to 5-0.

Dylan Remphrey hit a solo homer for Linganore in the fourth, and the Hubs got the run back in the bottom half on an RBI single by Ian Kelley.

After the Lancers cut it to 6-3 in the fifth, North immediately answered again, loading the bases and getting a sacrifice fly from Carter Conroy to make it 7-3.

The Hubs added two more runs in the sixth. Lewis stole home, and Aden Hose, who stole second and third, scored on a sacrifice fly by Luke Frazee.

“We were probably two hits away from running away with that game,” Justin Lewis said. “We had runners on a couple times and didn’t get the big hit. But we ended up scoring nine runs anyway.”

Ortiz pitched four innings for the win, allowing three runs, four hits and three walks while striking out seven. Strickland followed with three scoreless innings of relief, giving up only two hits with one strikeout.

North will host either No. 2 Thomas Johnson or No. 3 Oakdale in the region final Tuesday. The Patriots and Bears got rained out Saturday and are scheduled to play Monday at 4:30 p.m.

“It’s one game at a time,” Justin Lewis said. “That’s what I keep preaching. ‘Win the next one, win the next one.’ I’m not looking too far ahead.” 

 by Andy Mason, Herald-Mail Media

     
 2023 North Hagerstown Hubs Varsity Baseball Team
2023 Maryland Class 3A Region 1 Champions
(16-4-1 Overall, 10-4 CMC-Spires-3rd)
Front Row (kneeling): James Ortiz, Carter Conroy, Dylan Shoemaker, Aden Hose, Luke Frazee, Noah Ferguson, R.C. Crocker.
Second Row (standing): Asst Coach Sam Semler, Jacob Hart, Ian Kelley, Mac Stiffler, Lucas Strickland, Carson Casey, Henry Lewis, Camden Mertz, Henry Ortiz, Christian Wilson, Jeremy Nye, Dylan Kolb, Dominic Ross, Fletcher Lewis, Head Coach Justin Lewis, Asst Coach Shawn Reynolds.

   
2023 North Hagerstown JV Hubs
(11-3 Overall Record)
Front Row: Evan Foster, Matt Mallardi, Hunter Benedict, Chris Benford, Joe Sholes.
Middle Row: Conner Martz, Joey Dorsey, Jackson Coulter, Cole Bratburd, Grant Semler, Blake Custer.
Back Row: Carter Cunningham, Logan Hoffman, Head Coach Andrew Parks, Colt Tucker, Shawn Saylor.
Not Pictured: Eli Brown, Asst Coach Sam Semler.

2022 Season

Strickland hurls North past South Hagerstown, 5-1

 April 29, 2022----Hubs junior starting pitcher Lucas Strickland pitched six strong innings, allowing four hits, one walk and only one run, while striking out eight to lead the Hubs to a 5-1 victory over South Hagerstown.

North got things started in the first inning with a Sam Martin walk and a Luke Frazee single. Both players moved up a base with stolen bases, then Alex Clark hit a sacrifice fly to plate Martin after a brief run down. Frazee would also score on the throwback to third base to give the Hubs a 2-0 lead.

South scored their only run in the bottom half as Bryson Hutzell walked, stole second, advanced to third on a fielder choice, then scored on another fielder’s choice.

In the third the Hubs would tack on another run. Alex Clark reached on an error and advanced to second on the overthrow to first base. South starter James Kershner balked to move Clark to third. Hubs cleanup hitter Henry Ortiz stayed out by rapping an RBI-single to left to increase the North lead to 3-1.

Clark got things started again in the fifth by reaching on another error. Ortiz got plunked to put two runners on. Both runners would advance on a wild pitch. Fletcher Lewis brought home Clark with a ground out to second baseman Mikey Witmer. Evan Wray followed with a walk then Camden Mertz grounded out but did his job by bringing home Ortiz.

Strickland stifled every Rebels scoring threat through six innings as he stranded eight runners on base. Freshman Henry Lewis closed out the game in the seventh to seal the North Hagerstown victory.

The Hubs have now won three in a row to improve to (8-10, 5-7), while South falls to (4-11, 2-8). North now leads the all-time series with South (70-62-2) and has won a series record 12 games in row and have outscored the Rebels 135-41 during the streak.

The Red & Black will return to action on Monday with their home finale against Oakdale with a 4:45 PM first pitch.

2022 North Hagerstown Hubs
(9-12 Overall, 6-8 CMC-Spires) 
Front Row: Aden Hose, Spencer Wray, Evan Wray, Alex Clark, Dylan Shoemaker, Carter Conroy.
Second Row: Luke Frazee, Sam Martin, Dylan Kolb, Luke Kercheval, Dom Ross, Fletcher Lewis.
Back Row: Head Coach Justin Lewis, Henry Ortiz, Christian Wilson, Carson Casey, Camden Mertz, Henry Lewis, Lucas Strickland.

2022 North Hagerstown JV Hubs
(11-1 Overall Record)
Front Row: Cam Barr, Colt Tucker, Gabe Rodriguez, Noah Ferguson, Evan Foster.
Second Row: Gabriel Ohaegbu, RC Crocker, Ian Kelley, Shawn Saylor, Carter Cunningham, Logan Hoffman.
Back Row: Shane Eastep, TJ Foltz, Preston Smith, Jacob Hart, Jeremy Nye
Not Pictured: Head Coach Chad Carter.

2021 Season

Freshmen Stiffler & Frazee lead Hubs past Boonsboro, 7-2

BOONSBORO — Mac Stiffler allowed two earned runs over 6 1/3 innings while striking out nine, and added a double and an RBI to lead the Hubs past the Warriors on Friday.

Luke Frazee went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs for North (9-4). Dylan Shoemaker and Alex Clark each had two hits and an RBI, and Craig Clark and C.J. Hart drove in a run each.

Carter Stotelmyer had two hits, including a double, and Reed Gordon also had two hits for Boonsboro (7-5). Matt Kulikowski hit an RBI double, Dylan Elkins drove in a run and Nathan Basford struck out five.

Hubs take care of South, 13-3

May 13, 2021----Craig Clark had two hits and three RBIs and Mac Stiffler also drove in three runs as North Hagerstown defeated visiting South Hagerstown in six innings Thursday.

Alex Clark added two hits, two RBIs and two stolen bases for the Hubs (8-4), while Austin Dent had two hits, an RBI and four steals and Sam Martin had two hits and drove in a run.

Henry Ortiz pitched 4 1/3 innings for the win, allowing three earned runs while striking out two. C.J. Hart recorded the final five outs with five Ks.

For the Rebels (0-15), Joey Leisinger, Kadin Holmes and Bryson Hutzell each had two hits and an RBI. Leisinger and Holmes both doubled.

Link: Hubs hammer South Hagerstown, 12-0

4/30/21

2021 North Hagerstown Hubs
(11-6 Overall Record)

Zonis Field