Pikesville Hopes for Hitting, Pitching to Come Together

The Pikesville baseball team has gotten some good pitching in the first half of the season. They’ve also gotten plenty of good hitting.

The problem is they haven’t gotten them at the same time.

Pikesville has won three games in the first half, but the Panthers are hoping for more success when the games begin again next week after spring break.

Pitching is the key to any team’s success in baseball, and coach Joseph Kramer hopes to see more of it. Doug Lavin (1-4) won the final game before the break, a 12-6 victory over Randallstown.

Lavin went the distance and struck out seven batters during the seven-inning game. Kramer said the pitcher relaxed a little and just did his job.

“He just went out there and pitched,” said Kramer.

Lavin now is 1-4 with a 5.18 ERA. But he’s struck out 21 batters in 24 1/3 innings—impressive numbers.

Teammate Tyler Kennedy struggled at times, but he’s 1-1 with a 6.50 ERA. He’s also posted good numbers with strikeouts, fanning 16 in 19 1/3 innings.

Good pitching would support the solid hitting that Pikesville has come up with. Six Panthers are batting at least. 318, giving them plenty of chances to score runs—which adds to the importance of getting that good pitching.

Brian Stevenson leads the way with a .500 average plus seven RBI. Mitch Goldstein (.448) also is helping, but Tete Obot really has been big so far. Obot has a team-high 16 RBI with an impressive .438 average.

The next games, according to the schedule on highschoolsports.net, are: 3:45 p.m. April 26 vs. Sparrows Point High School, and 3:45 p.m. April 28 vs. Overlea High School, both at Pikesville.

The Panthers play Patapsco High School at 11 a.m. April 30, at Patapsco.