BCPS Preseason Baseball and Girls Lacrosse Power Rankings!

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BASEBALL ⚾

Baseball is underway in Baltimore County! Despite several of Saturday’s games being postponed due to weather, Dulaney, Hereford, and Dundalk currently lead the standings with 1-0 records. Click this link or scroll down to read County Sports Zone’s BCPS Preseason Baseball Power Rankings!

Baltimore County baseball fans have been waiting almost two decades for one of their teams to bring home a state title, with Eastern Tech’s 2A win in 2007 being the most recent title under then head coach Spike McElfish. Last spring, BCPS sent two teams to the state semifinals, where Hereford fell to Huntingtown in the 2A and Pikesville lost a heartbreaker to St. Michael’s in the 1A class. This upcoming season, several teams have lost key pieces of their lineup, potentially leading the way for new teams to emerge atop the county. Here is the County Sports Zone BCPS Preseason Baseball Power Rankings:

1. Dulaney (2025: 11-8-1)

Last season’s Lions ran through the 3A North I region, taking down Overlea, Catonsville, and Towson by a combined 28-5 en route to a regional championship. In the first round of the state bracket, Dulaney fell to the future state runner-up, the Chopticon Braves, 7-2. Luckily for head coach Zach McElroy, the loss of Connor Dow to the College of the Holy Cross will likely not hamper the team’s success this season. Dulaney is set to be led by four college commits, headed by MSABC Preseason All-State team selection and Monmouth University commit Matthew Rich, followed by senior Drew Ranck, who is committed to UMBC. With committed pitchers Dylan Townsend and Carter Frick, along with the program’s single-season stolen bases leader Logan Park, Dulaney looks to be in a great position for another deep playoff run, likely surpassing where they were eliminated last spring.

2. Hereford (2025: 16-8)

The Bulls had their season ended by the 2A state champion Huntingtown Hurricanes in the state semifinals, but not before eliminating rival Eastern Tech in the quarterfinals which came after the team allowed just two runs throughout the regional bracket. After losing eight seniors from the semifinals squad, Brad Duvall will rely on his five college commits to lead the team this season. Harford Community College commit Kreis Metz earned a spot on the MSABC team, while Aidan Ciurca, Merrick Gardner, Daniel Metz, and Sam O’Reilly will also find themselves on various college rosters in 2027. With two consecutive seasons ending in the state bracket, Hereford appears to have a good shot at making their first state championship appearance in over 50 years, and their first state title in program history

3. Towson (2025: 16-3)

The Generals had an untimely ending to their most recent campaign, as they were upset by Dulaney 8-1 in the 3A North I regional championship. Before that game, they took down the fifth-seeded Franklin Indians with ease, earning a run-rule win. That team was headlined by Grady Kimball, a right-handed pitcher who hit mid-80s off the mound and now plays D-III ball at Rhodes College. This season, Towson’s team will be led by a one-two punch off the mound consisting of Henry Lohr and Hayden Sulkowski, each of whom routinely hit over eighty on the mound with Sulkowski reaching 85. Senior Calder Uong will also likely have a big role for the maroon and white this spring.

4. Sparrows Point (2025: 10-5)

In 2025, the Pointers fell by one run to Eastern Tech in the 2A North I regional championship after defeating Chesapeake and Patapsco by a combined 30-0. This year’s team will be without right handed pitchers Cody Burkman and Josh Mason, both of whom now play D-II baseball for Bluefield State in the CIAA. The two will be replaced by one of the top athletes in the class of 2029, Brance Coffman, a lefty who threw a 74 mph fastball as an eighth grader according to Perfect Game. The Pointers will also have junior Caleb Stricklin at their disposal who, also according to Perfect Game, has a fastball likely over 80, having been clocked at 79 in 2024. Despite the losses of Burkman and Mason on the mound, Brett Kline’s roster will likely still be in good standing to return to the region title game

5. Eastern Tech (2025: 13-6)

The Mavericks went into the 2A North I regional bracket as the two-seed last season, defeating the Dunbar Poets by 15 runs in the semifinals before advancing to the state bracket, defeating Sparrows Point 2-1 in the regional championship. In fact, last season was the second consecutive season that Sparrows Point and Eastern Tech played the regional championship with the final score being 2-1. This season, Eastern Tech’s long-time head coach Ty Whittaker continued their winning ways and made it back into the state bracket. To do that, Coach Whittaker will look for a big season from senior Rob Peterson, a senior right handed pitcher with a three pitch mix, including a fastball that tops at 81 according to PBR. Also, seniors Mason Glatt and Brody Evans, along with junior Nate Noyes will all have an impact for the Mavericks both at the plate and in the field this season.

6. Parkville (2025: 13-5-1)

The Knights will go into the 2026 season with several changes, involving both coaches and athletes. 2025 head coach Joe Daddura departed the team, taking an assistant coaching job at Calvert Hall, with two other coaches leaving as well. Additionally, the team will be without five seniors, including Teddy Pineda, Collin Cuddy, and Weston Brine, each of whom were selected to the first all-county team last spring. Despite the significant losses, Parkville’s new head coach Michael Gagne will still have multiple important pieces on his team. Former major league pitcher Rick Krvida will join the Knights as a pitching coach, while outfielders Nick Rodriguez and Aiden Collins, both of whom received all-county and all-division honors, will return to this year’s squad. While Parkville may experience some growing pains at the start of the season, the team looks to have the tools to stay competitive both in the regular season and into the playoffs.

7. Kenwood (2025: 10-9)

The Bluebirds played three games in the regional bracket, defeating Dundalk at home, then Mervo and Parkville on the road by a combined 37-8, en route to a regional title. Unfortunately, the blue and yellow’s run came to an end in the state quarterfinals, as they fell to the top-seeded Broadneck Bruins 18-0. This year’s team will be without seven seniors, including Kyle Rineman, who threw six innings of one hit ball in the regional championship, but they will have rising sophomore Dominic Zorilla, who closed out the title game, on the mound again this season. Kenwood will also bring back Patrick Boblitz, one of their top arms, and two-way athlete Carter Pugh, who puts in time both at shortstop and on the mound. Coach Bouloubassis will be going into this year looking to bring the Bluebirds back into the state bracket for the second straight year.

8. Catonsville (2025: 10-8)

The Comets were dealt a tough hand in last year’s playoffs, as their first match came against the Dulaney Lions, where they fell at home 10-4. Last year’s squad was lead by Gunnar Gemmell, a right handed pitcher who now plays at Harford Community College, and first-team all-county honorees Devin Benhayon and Colin Hood. This year, Catonsville’s record may take a hit, as they are set to be anchored on the mound by Jack Kearney who totes a low-eightys fastball along with a high-sixties curve, as well as right handed pitcher Brandon Welsh and utilityman Gino Barracato

It is important to note that Pikesville (2025: 11-9) did not make this list after making the state semifinals last season. This is because the Panthers lost twelve senior athletes, including three who now play in college. The starting lineup will have just two athletes who were on varsity for all of last season, Kairee Williams and Richie Carlton. Despite this, those two, along with junior Nate Cherry and sophomores Matthew Wesley and Ethan Holaday will likely have strong seasons and receive college looks in the future. Pikesville could finish as one of the county’s top eight teams, but the preseason uncertainty surrounding how their overhauled lineup keeps them off the list.

GIRLS LACROSSE🥍

Girls lacrosse got underway throughout BCPS on Friday afternoon, and after the first weekend, Patapsco and Eastern Tech lead the way as both have 1-0 records. Click this link or scroll down to read County Sports Zone’s BCPS Preseason Girls Lacrosse Power Rankings!

Historically, Baltimore County has been no stranger to success in girls lacrosse. In fact, BCPS teams took home six state championships in the sport’s first eight years from 1990-1998. However, over the last two decades, the county has found themselves in a state level lull, with the most recent state title going to Dulaney in 2006 as a 4A team. Two teams made it as far as the semifinals in 2025, and those same teams, along with others, will look to bring the state title back to Baltimore County this fall. Here are the eight teams most likely to do just that:

1. Perry Hall (2025: 7-8)

No Baltimore County team made it farther than last year’s Gators, as Hailey Jarrard’s squad advanced to the 4A state semifinals where they lost to the Urbana Hawks. On their way to that game, Perry Hall defeated Kenwood, Parkville, and Eleanor Roosevelt by a combined 55-16, and that offense won’t be going anywhere. The only athlete the Gators will lose from last season is goalie Panagiota Zdziera, while they will retain several key members of the roster. La Salle commit Reese Pinell and Salisbury commit Makayla Kurcoba were both selected to the first all-county team, while Reese Updike, Mya Aby, and Maddy Rudolph made the second squad. Beyond those five, there were an additional five selected as honorable mentions, including three midfielders and two defenders. After reaching the state semis last year and keeping most of their lineup intact, Perry Hall is well positioned for a very deep postseason run.

2. Hereford (2025: 4-9)

Don’t let the rough overall record fool you about the success that Hereford had last season and the talent that the team possessed. The Bulls had a clear path to the regional championship with there only being two teams in their region. After taking down Eastern Tech 18-9, they went into the 2A state bracket as the eight seed, where they fell 20-2 on the road against Manchester Valley. Hereford will lose a small but mighty core of three athletes from the 2025 team, including Riley Hall to Mercer and Julia Pfitzinger to Kutztown, but they do get back three key athletes, all of whom are committed collegiately. Senior goalie Grace Berquist will continue her career at High Point, senior defender Tessa Hollander will go on to UMass Lowell, and senior Allie Marzullo is headed to Wingate. Each of the three, along with junior captain Katie Gobell, will look to push Hereford further into the postseason, while also trying to improve the regular season record with a schedule equally as difficult as last year’s.

3. Towson (2025: 13-3)

Last season, the Generals ran through the 3A North I region, defeating Franklin and Dulaney 36-11. Going into the 3A state bracket as the four seed, they overcame Bel Air 16-8 in the quarterfinals before losing to top-ranked Severna Park 10-6. After an incredible 2025 campaign, Towson will enter this spring without an astonishing 14 athletes from last year’s squad. The departures are led by four college athletes: June Barber (2025: UMBC), Finlay Harmon (2025: Denison), Allie Kenedy (2025: Mary Washington), and Charlotte Hemingway (2025: Christopher Newport). Despite the roster overhaul, Towson will keep three more committed players on this year’s team: Denison commit Leila Franklin, Rhodes commit Lily Franklin, and UMBC commit Madden Sysantos. The Generals may face early season struggles as they adapt to the new group on the field, but success is bound to come for a program as strong as this one.

4. Dulaney (2025: 11-5)

The Lions earned the two-seed in the 3A North I region, where they won a nail-biter against Catonsville in the regional semifinals before losing 16-5 at the hands of Towson in the regional championship. Kristi Korrow’s squad will be without seven members of last year’s team, including Maxine Yeakel (2025: Denver), Sophia Reitmeyer (2025: Clarkson), and Heidi Schmidt (2025: Dickinson). While the team will be down those three collegiate athletes, they will still have four more on the roster. Senior midfielder Sarah Crowley, who was selected to the first all-county team in 2025, is committed to St. Joseph’s University. Alongside her includes Loyola University of Maryland commit Torunn Spencer, Delaware State commit Mia Edwards, and Flagler commit Paige Holmes. The Lions finished with a strong regular season record in 2025, but this spring will be all about an upset, as they’ll look to take down Towson to make the state tournament.

5. Catonsville (2025: 6-7)

The Comets had an early ending to last year’s season, as the 3A North I three-seed lost 14-13 against Dulaney in their first playoff game, which came in the regional semifinals. This year’s team will be without six members of the 2025 squad, including Maggie Kubocfik who was selected to the second all-county team. Catonsville will retain senior Salisbury University commit Kate Roberson and junior Stetson commit Kaitlyn Welsh, while also having two athletes selected to the second all-county team last spring. After a subpar record and an early playoff exit, head coach Cantey Ulep aims to lead the Comets to their first playoff win since their regional championship in 2023.

6. Parkville (2025: 8-4)

After a strong regular season that saw a finish of four games above .500, and with only three teams in their region, Parkville got an automatic bid to the regional championship. Despite the boost from their seed, the Knights were knocked out of the playoffs after an 18-3 loss to Perry Hall in the region’s title game. Shannon McFadden named seniors Abbi Rossi and Kania Charity along with junior Genevieve Swartz-Mitchell and Jessica Chicas-Amayas the team’s four captains this season. Rossi will enter this season as the lead attacking threat, alongside Swartz-Mitchell, following the losses of top goal scorers Makayla Einolf and Kristen Lunsford from last year’s team. After two straight division titles, the Knights look to overcome the playoff bump and bring a regional championship back to Parkville.

7. Loch Raven (2025: 7-6)

The Raiders held the top seed in the 1A North I region which consisted of four total teams. After defeating Western Tech 11-1 in the regional semifinals, LR lost a high-scoring affair in the regional championship against Pikesville, losing the game with a 13-10 final. Loch Raven’s losses are small but not insignificant, as second all-county defender Ceirra Cadden and all-county honorable mention defender Maggie Blumberg lead the five seniors from the 2025 team. Despite this, first all-county selection Sarah Watkeys and second all-county selection Callie French will anchor down the midfield for the Raiders this season as they will look to win a weaker 1A division later this spring.

8. Franklin (2025: 6-6)

The Indians were the four-seed in the 3A North I region, and after a dominant 17-5 win over Lansdowne in the regional quarterfinals, their season was ended by the Towson Generals in the semis. This spring, Franklin’s team will look different after losing six seniors, including Courtnee Strickland to Marymount University. That loss will set up Susquehanna commit Olivia Friedman for an even bigger season as she will be a certain leader on this Franklin squad.

SOFTBALL 🥎

Softball is officially underway throughout Baltimore County! Despite only a few games being played over the weekend, Towson currently leads the way with a 2-1 record, followed by Sparrows Point, Dulaney, and Catonsville, with each team picking up their first win early in the season.

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