Third-seeded Bombers set for playoffs

‘‘This team has meshed real good,” Bovello said. ‘‘We had been playing the last few games without a few starters. But I’m satisfied with our progress. We’re peaking at the right time.”

The Bombers won’t know their first opponent until their playoff opener Tuesday evening. The Rockville Express, Herndon Braves, Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts, Alexandria Aces and Maryland Redbirds all are in contention for the fourth through eighth seeds. The last four teams will play that afternoon, and College Park will face the lowest remaining seed at Shirley Povich Field Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

A win would put College Park in a double-header on Wednesday, opening with the second-seeded Big Train. A sweep of that double-header would put the Bombers in the championship game on Aug. 2. A split would put them in the losers’ bracket final Aug. 1.

College Park is 2-4 this season against Bethesda. The Bombers won, 5-2, on Sunday and 2-1 in a rain-shortened, five-inning game June 28.

College Park ran up a 4-0 lead to start Sunday’s game as it preyed on a poor start by Bethesda’s Chase Tigert, who only lasted 1⁄3 of an inning. He spent much of that time with the bases loaded, giving up two runs on walks and one more when he hit Mike Loomis. Craig Lanzarotta had a run-scoring single in the first-inning rally, and Mike Celenza led off the seventh inning with a home run, his fifth of the season.

The Bombers are confident they can challenge both the Big Train and Youse’s Maryland Orioles (31-7), who have lost just twice in July.

They only have beaten the Orioles once, but Bovello said many of those losses could have gone his club’s way. College Park’s last two defeats to the Orioles came by a run, including a 2-1 loss Monday and a 4-3 loss in 10 innings June 30.

‘‘I think the playoffs are going to be very interesting,” Bovello said.

Celenza leads Bombers all-stars

Five Bombers played for the East in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game in the team’s 8-5 loss to the West on Tuesday.

Celenza had a run-scoring single and Ben Sobocinski added another hit. Darren O’Brien retired all three of the batters he faced, and Nate Curd also retired a batter. Jack Amidei, who earned the loss, and Mike Bell also played in the game.

Celenza is in pursuit of one of best batting averages in league history, hitting .386 entering the all-star game. He was hitting above .400 for much of the season and could lead the league in hitting for the second straight season.

The stocky Celenza doesn’t have the build of the typical third baseman, one reason most schools but NCAA Division III Salisbury University overlooked him out of high school, Bovello said. But with a strong bat and a .963 fielding percentage that is second among College Park starters, he has proven a valuable everyday player.

‘‘Everybody said he didn’t have a good body,” Bovello said. ‘‘My answer to that was, ‘How good was Babe Ruth’s body?’”

E-mail Kevin Hilgers at khilgers@gazette.net.