Broadneck Baseball Aiming To Rebound In 2026

When we last saw the Broadneck baseball team, they were licking fresh wounds from a devastating and controversial exit in the 4A state semifinals last May.

Though they graduated several key players from that 23-2 squad, there’s hope that the Bruins will be in the mix again to make a deep run in 2026.

Broadneck returns two-time all-county shortstop and Georgetown commit Avik Cherry, along with sophomore third baseman Max White, and the duo will help knit together an infield unit that could be one of the best around. Outfielders Aiden Casey, Tripp Zwerlein and Cooper Mengel are back as well, giving the offense a chance to be truly dynamic, according to head coach Matt Skrenchuk.

Where the Bruins are less certain is in the pitching department. Mengel and Jack Miteff have pitching experience, but the rest is yet to be determined. Skrenchuk called the bulk of his staff “a lot of guys who have been waiting their turn but now need to prove they can get guys out consistently.”

Through seven games so far, the Bruins have been mostly good. They come back from spring break with a 5-2 record, including wins over Old Mill (12-2), Annapolis (8-3), Glen Burnie (5-1) and Chopticon (5-4), mixed around a 9-3 setback against a strong-looking Crofton squad.

The victory over Chopticon came in a walk-off fashion, when Mengel scored on an error from a Bodhi Samson ground ball in the bottom of the seventh inning. Mengel had tripled in Ty Schauppner to tie the game a batter earlier.

In addition to the Chopticon game over spring break, Broadneck also played Governor Thomas Johnson and Urbana in a one-day event, the latter a rematch of last season’s state semifinal game. Urbana took that game 11-4, but the Bruins rebounded to hammer Johnson 13-1.

Through seven games, the Bruins have gotten contributions up and down the lineup. Leadoff hitter Zwirlein leads the team with eight hits, while White and Nate Sanchez have a team-best seven runs apiece. Cherry’s .412 batting average is best on the squad, while Mengel leads the team in extra-base hits (five) and RBIs (nine). Cherry and Samson have plated six runs each.

On the mound, Schauppner has a 2-0 record with a 1.11 ERA in a team-best 12 2/3 innings pitched. Miteff has been solid in three appearances, picking up a win and allowing one earned run and striking out five in eight innings of work, while Landon Gossard picked up the season-opening victory over Old Mill. Zwirlein also has a victory on the mound.

Out of the bullpen, Jonah Lucas has stepped up, fanning eight batters and allowing four baserunners in 4 2/3 innings pitched.

After early week contests on April 7 and 8 against North County and Southern, respectively, the Bruins have back-to-back litmus tests when they square off against Pasadena powers Northeast (April 10) and Chesapeake (April 13) in succession.

Broadneck stats