College Baseball

I am writing to address your week of April 12 front page story about Jimmy Brooks and "The Big Game. " It should have been dubbed or named "Glory Dazes" and/or "Glory Haze. " There is a glaring problem with your feel good and/or prima donna story. He earned a full baseball scholarship during his freshman season, but failed to graduate. Too bad he squandered his opportunity. Oh, well. Party on, Sergeant Brooks. Dan Lewis Laurel

Et cetera Hopkins' Stromberg, Milne to join MAC Hall Bill Stromberg , a standout member of the Johns Hopkins football team from 1978 to 1981, and fello alumnus Bill Milne , one of the top swimmers in the nation from 1971 to 1974, have been selected to the 36-member charter class of the Middle Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame. Stromberg, the only Johns Hopkins player elected to the College Football Hall of Fame (2004), was a two-time first-team All-American and two-time MAC Most Valuable Player (1980 and 1981)

UMBC's Ryan Schneider, Towson University's Jason Sandner, and Gettysburg College's John Woods are having outstanding baseball seasons, leading a large contingent of county athletes who are playing college baseball.Schneider (Atholton), Big South Player of the Week for March 9-15, is batting .358 (38-for-106) with nine home runs, seven doubles and 28 RBIs.Schneider, a senior first baseman, went 5-for-5 with six RBIs and two home runs against Mount St. Mary's March 14. He went 3-for-3 with five RBIs against Holy Cross.

Et cetera Salisbury's Tavik to vie for 2nd shot put crown Salisbury junior Chelsea Tavik (Seton Keogh) will compete for her second national championship after being selected as one of 22 athletes in the women's shot put at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships this weekend in Claremont, Calif., where Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps colleges will host the event. Tavik has earned All-America status in the past three championships, finishing third in last year's outdoor shot put. The Glen Burnie native will enter as the second seed, having posted a school-record 48 feet, 11/4 inches earlier this week at the Lions' Last Chance Meet, hosted by the College of New Jersey.

Complete games in nine-inning college baseball are exceptional and personally satisfying -- except when you lose.Anne Arundel Community College left-hander Jim Simms knows the feeling because of one inning he would like to have back.Simms was outstanding for all but one inning, the second, as defending National Junior College Athletic Association champion Essex Community College (3-0) edged host Anne Arundel, 4-3, in an errorless game yesterday in Arnold.It was a big win in Essex's quest to return to the National JuCo Tournament in Grand Junction, Colo.

COLLEGE PARK -- Have waiters ever forgotten your drink order? Do the kids acknowledge your existence only when they're demanding more cash? Nearly everyone in life can relate to being overlooked and unappreciated, but it's unlikely any group of athletes experience those kinds of feelings more regularly than college baseball players in Maryland. Despite a legacy that extends from Babe Ruth to Cal Ripken, lacrosse is the official state sport. That seal of approval, courtesy of the Maryland legislature in 2004, reflects lacrosse's standing in certain ZIP codes and the weight it carries on campus, where defensive midfielders get more recognition than guys who could be pitching for pay in the minors this summer.

Fern Rudolph Hitchcock Jr. a longtime athletic coach, trainer and faculty member at what is now McDaniel College who was known for his motivational stories, called "Fernisms," died Thursday of complications from Parkinson's and heart disease at a hospital in Hanover, Pa. He was 82. Mr. Hitchcock was born in York, Pa., and raised in Taneytown. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1947 from what was then Western Maryland College, where he played third base and outfield for several championship baseball teams.

Et cetera Salisbury's Tavik to vie for 2nd shot put crown Salisbury junior Chelsea Tavik (Seton Keogh) will compete for her second national championship after being selected as one of 22 athletes in the women's shot put at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships this weekend in Claremont, Calif., where Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps colleges will host the event. Tavik has earned All-America status in the past three championships, finishing third in last year's outdoor shot put. The Glen Burnie native will enter as the second seed, having posted a school-record 48 feet, 11/4 inches earlier this week at the Lions' Last Chance Meet, hosted by the College of New Jersey.

The Chesapeake Bayhawks received All-Star defenseman Nicky Polanco , a two-time Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year, from the Long Island Lizards for the rights to their 2012 first-round college draft pick CJ Costabile , a Duke long-stick midfielder. In addition, the Bayhawks obtained 2013 and 2014 second-round selections while the Lizards got a 2013 fifth-round pick. Fishing: Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., leads the Walmart-FLW Tour event on the Potomac River with a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 10 ounces.

The Ravens and the Maryland Stadium Authority are in the final stages of putting together a second international soccer matchup at M&T Bank Stadium on July 25, according to Terry Hasseltine , director of the Maryland office of sports marketing. No other details - including which teams will participate - have been finalized, Hasseltine said. There is an outside chance the date could change, "but all discussions are leaning toward the 25th," he said. Hasseltine also said that because this is a World Cup year, European teams are reluctant to commit to an overseas trip before their regular season begins.

The Chesapeake Bayhawks received All-Star defenseman Nicky Polanco , a two-time Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year, from the Long Island Lizards for the rights to their 2012 first-round college draft pick CJ Costabile , a Duke long-stick midfielder. In addition, the Bayhawks obtained 2013 and 2014 second-round selections while the Lizards got a 2013 fifth-round pick. Fishing: Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., leads the Walmart-FLW Tour event on the Potomac River with a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 10 ounces.

Colleges McDaniel, Salisbury survive in softball Caroline Brehm pitched 10 scoreless innings and catcher Tracy Davis homered with two outs in the 10th to keep McDaniel's softball season going with a 1-0 win over Messiah (35-10) in the first elimination game of the NCAA Division III regional in Newport News, Va. The Green Terror (28-13) will play the loser of the Ferrum-Christopher Newport game at 3 p.m today. Also in Newport News, Salisbury (36-6), ranked 18th in Division III, scored a combined 10 runs in the sixth and seventh innings to earn an 11-0 victory over Farmingdale State College (26-15)

Soccer United to partner with Bohemians; friendly slated for June 5 D.C. United announced a development partnership with the Baltimore Bohemians of the United Soccer Leagues' Premier Development League. A friendly between United's under-23 squad and the Bohemians has been scheduled for June 5 at Bel Air's Cedar Lane Park, the Bohemians' home field. As part of the agreement, the Bohemians will provide United with prospective players who might have the potential to play in Major League Soccer.

Orioles Series to begin with talk by Jon Miller The Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation has announced plans for a summer event series celebrating "20 Years at The Yard. " The first program will be with former Orioles broadcaster Jon Miller from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. May22 at the Enoch Pratt Central Library. Miller will share behind-the-scenes experiences from his legendary career. A cash bar will be available 5-6 p.m., followed by a program and exclusive Q&A session with Miller from 6-7 p.m. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by contacting Whitney Edmonds at WhitneyE@babeRuthMuseum.com or calling 410-727-1536, ext. 3033.

I am writing to address your week of April 12 front page story about Jimmy Brooks and "The Big Game. " It should have been dubbed or named "Glory Dazes" and/or "Glory Haze. " There is a glaring problem with your feel good and/or prima donna story. He earned a full baseball scholarship during his freshman season, but failed to graduate. Too bad he squandered his opportunity. Oh, well. Party on, Sergeant Brooks. Dan Lewis Laurel

Varsity baseball Calvert Hall rallies for 9-8 win over nationally ranked Don Bosco The Calvert Hall baseball team, ranked No. 1 in The Baltimore Sun poll, scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat visiting Don Bosco (N.J.) — No. 4 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 poll — 9-8, on Sunday. Manny Rodriguez and Ron Farley had two RBIs each for the Cardinals, who had 11 hits in the game. Garrett Walther pitched three innings and struck out four for Calvert Hall, giving up four earned runs on eight hits.

Orioles Series to begin with talk by Jon Miller The Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation has announced plans for a summer event series celebrating "20 Years at The Yard. " The first program will be with former Orioles broadcaster Jon Miller from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. May22 at the Enoch Pratt Central Library. Miller will share behind-the-scenes experiences from his legendary career. A cash bar will be available 5-6 p.m., followed by a program and exclusive Q&A session with Miller from 6-7 p.m. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by contacting Whitney Edmonds at WhitneyE@babeRuthMuseum.com or calling 410-727-1536, ext. 3033.

College baseball Hopkins loses its opener in CWS, 3-2, to Heidelberg Top-ranked Johns Hopkins (43-6) fell, 3-2, to No. 6 Heidelberg (41-6) on Friday in both teams' opening game of the Division III College World Series in Grand Chute, Wis. The Student Princes' Jason Lash singled home Steve Decker in the top of the ninth to break a 2-2 tie. The Blue Jays tied the game in the eighth on a rally that started when Sam Wernick reached on an infield single. He scored a double down the right-field line by Chris Huisman (Archbishop Spalding)

Et cetera Spring meet at Pimlico gets out of gate today Live racing returns to Baltimore today with the beginning of the spring meeting at Pimlico Race Course . Considered the marquee meet of the Maryland racing season, it culminates May 19 with the 137th running of the Preakness. The first of 22 stakes races, the $50,000 Shine Again Stakes, will feature nine Maryland-bred fillies and mares vying for their first win in a money-added race Saturday. "There is a special feeling about Pimlico because of the third Saturday in May," Maryland Jockey Club President Tom Chuckas said.

Et cetera Harman pitches Terps past No. 4 UNC, 1-0 Maryland starting pitcher Brett Harman struck out eight in eight scoreless innings and freshman K.J. Hockaday (John Carroll) went 2-for-2 with the game's only run in a 1-0 victory over No. 4 North Carolina (16-4, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) on Sunday. Maryland (14-6, 1-5) recorded its sixth shutout of the season — its most since 1972, when it also had six — and improved to 5-3 against ranked teams.