​MCHENRY — With their season on the line and their backs against the wall twice, Garrett County Post 71/208/214 refused to quit and lived to play another day. Fort Cumberland appeared poised to wrap up the Mountain District championship when Post 13 was just three outs away in both the seventh and eighth innings, but Garrett rallied on both occasions and walked off in eight innings, 5-4, on a base hit by Jake Chambers Thursday at Garrett College.
Fort Cumberland (7-3, 5-2 district) carried a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the eighth after a wild pitch plated Myles Bascelli in the top half. Following a Garrett strikeout that left Cumberland two outs from the title, Devin McKenzie singled up the middle, and an error allowed the tying runner McKenzie to move to third. Cole Parks then delivered an RBI double to knot the score, and after a pitching change, Chambers followed with the decisive hit to center field, scoring Parks and ending the game.
Garrett County had forced extras with timely two-out hitting. Trailing 3-2, Elliott Myers-Shirer delivered a clutch base hit in the seventh to even the score and keep Garrett alive.
That late surge gives Garrett County Post 71/208/214 (now 6-9) another day on the field. In the seven-game Mountain District series, Garrett is 2-5 but still can force a one-game playoff by winning three straight against Fort Cumberland.
Fort Cumberland remained a win away from its first district crown since 2024, a year that ended with Post 13 capturing the Maryland state championship and making a Mid-Atlantic Regional appearance. Colt Resh produced the early offense for Fort Cumberland, driving in Peyton Blocher and Jake Rice with a triple to right in the third inning. Kohen Madden followed with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Resh and giving Post 13 a 3-0 lead.
Bascelli started on the mound for Fort Cumberland and shut down Garrett for four innings before trouble arrived in the fifth. After opening the frame with a walk and a single, Bascelli was pulled, and both runners would come around to score. Hunter Livengood’s RBI groundout and a wild-pitched run brought Garrett within 3-2, setting the stage for the dramatic finish.
Bascelli took a no-decision despite his strong outing, allowing two runs on five hits over four innings with seven strikeouts and six walks. Garrett’s side of the mound also saw a no-decision, as Parks endured four innings, yielding three runs on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Liam Stewart provided three innings of relief, tossing two scoreless frames before Fort Cumberland threatened in the eighth.
On the scoreboard, Garrett held a slight 10-6 advantage in hits, with McKenzie going 3-for-5 to pace the offense. Myers-Shirer added two hits, and both Colt and Coye Resh contributed in the late-inning effort that sparked the comeback.
This result leaves Fort Cumberland with one win needed to claim the district title, while Garrett County must win three straight to force a one-game playoff. The stage is set for another dramatic chapter as Post 71/208/214 looks to build on this resilience and extend its postseason push.