Frederick FSK Post 11's bats typically don't stay quiet for long.
Largely dormant early in Tuesday's game, Post 11 erupted for three runs in the top of the sixth inning to move past host Mount Airy Gold Post 191, 5-1 in Western Maryland District action.
"I knew we were going to break loose," Post 11 head coach Tom Long said.
Shutout through the first three frames, Post 11 scored twice during its half of fourth as Brent DeHaven drove in both Ian Hahn and Hank Adams.
Alex Anwar put Mount Airy on the board by scoring the following inning. Threatening, Post 191 couldn't manage additional runs.
Fueled by a Brady Wilson two-run single, (on which he reached third thanks to a pair of Mount Airy miscues), a DeHaven base hit and textbook John DeSando sacrifice bunt, Frederick posted a three runs the sixth. Pitcher Frank Zier did the rest.
Zier followed his side's rally by inducing two groundball outs and a strikeout to retire the side. After recording a strikeout and issuing a walk to start last of the seventh, Frederick closed the deal with a 6-4-3 double play.
Going the distance, Zier fanned six and allowed just two hits.
"I felt good," Zier said. "I felt fresh, got a little bit of a rest and controlled all of my pitches pretty well today and threw pretty good."
Tuesday was Zier's first trip to the rubber in five days, an eternity to him. With a fresh arm, he continued to be a thorn in Post 191's side. This is the second time he's shut down Mount Airy.
On June 15 he allowed just one earned run while striking out eight in a complete game 5-1 victory.
"Zier just has an upper hand on us," Post 191 head coach George Richardson said.
"I don't know how many times he's beaten us in the past couple of years. That's just the way it goes."
At 13-2 overall and 5-0 in district play, Post 11 is in the driver's seat for a third consecutive Western Maryland title. Frederick is three games clear of second place Thurmont Edwin C. Creeger Post 168, who is 5-3 in the district.
Despite the loss, Mount Airy (17-8, 8-4) still considers itself players within the district. Jason Driver and Tripp Staley split time on the mound Tuesday.
Right fielder Jake Ringold provided the evening's top highlight with a diving shoestring catch in the seventh.
"We've been right there," Richardson said.
"A couple of plays here and a couple of plays there and this game might have been different."
