With three games remaining in the regular season, the Potomac School Panthers already have achieved a main mission by securing the top seed in the upcoming Mid-Atlantic Conference playoff tournament.
That clinching win came with a 20-5 home victory over Georgetown Day School on April 26 in high-school baseball action. The victory upped the team’s overall record to 15-3, conference mark to 10-0 and improved its winning streak to 13, thought to be the longest in program history.
With the April 26 victory, the Panthers have won 18 straight game against MAC rivals over two seasons, as they are the defending tournament champs.
Also in recent games, the Panthers defeated St. James, 6-3, in a conference clash, then rallied to top St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes, 10-5, in a non-league contest at Capital One Park in Tysons.
Chris Nee took over as Potomac School’s head coach this season, and liked what he inherited.
“They have had a culture of winning here and we have a tremendous group of young players this season,” Nee said.
As the new coach, Nee has put a big emphasis on stressing strong defensive play and sound fundamentals.
“We stress the little things and are very defensive minded,” Nee said. “If we execute the basic plays that limits the pitch counts of our pitchers.”
Outfielders Jake Adamec and Jackson Wiley have been top defenders with no errors through 17 and 16 games, respectively. Wyatt Pence had made just one error in the outfield.
In the comeback win over St. Stephen’s, Potomac School took advantage of its opponent’s defensive miscues by consistently putting the ball in play to score its final seven runs, taking the lead for good with four unearned runs in the fifth inning. The Panthers trailed by 2-0 and 3-1 scores.
“We created some good two-strike opportunities,” Nee said.
Right-hander Jack Graham started and pitched 6 2/3 innings to get the win with Paul Witkop throwing three pitches to get the game’s final out. Graham walked two, struck out three, scattered eight hits and at one time retired nine straight batters, with the help of one double play.
Witkop helped lead the charge offensively. He had two hits, two RBI, walked twice and stole two bases. Jason Seeber doubled and had two hits and two RBI, Pence had a hit, Ian Parrish had an RBI, Wiley walked three times and Owen Peterson swiped two bases.
The Panthers were walked 10 times and defensively made just one error.
“We helped Jack out there by playing good defense,” Nee said.
In the win over St. James, Pence had three hits, Seeber (two RBI) and Will Piester two each and Witkop had a sacrifice fly. Pence and Peterson (one hit) each stole three bases.
Gavin Spiegel started and pitched six innings with seven strikeouts to get the win, with Tony Diller earning the save.
Against Georgetown Day, Potomac School had 16 hits, with four from Witkop (two RBI), three each from Seeber (three RBI), Pence and Colby Bohnen (three RBI), Wiley homered, Parish added a hit and two RBI and Adamec had a hit and one RBI.
NOTE: Potomac School played three games with three wins at the new and popular Capital One Park venue this season.
