While the Chargers 2021 baseball season ended in the PIAA District III semi-finals on May 24th, the athletic year held a slew of accomplishments including a CCAC championship and a 15-2 overall record.

The historic CCAC win made the Chargers back-to-back champs, maintaining possession of the banner to defend their 2019 title. The absence of a 2020 season made the club even more thankful for each moment they experienced on the field this year.

The CCAC championship win came on May 17th in a 6-0 triumph over High Point Baptist held at Earl Wenger field in Fredericksburg.

Senior pitcher Aidan Masters struck out a staggering 12 batters in the shut-out victory, surrendering zero runs and allowing just one hit and walking one, while throwing all seven innings.

"Aidan's command of the strike zone was excellent," pointed out head coach Jim Sintic. "He was able to work ahead in the count and it allowed him to showcase his change-up and slider."

Offensively, the Chargers accrued five hits, supplied by Hunter Stewart, Damian Rutt, Reagan Mummau, Evan Barnes, and Ethan Smith.

Mount Calvary's first two runs crossed the plate in the second inning when a single from Mummau drove in Rutt. Up next, Barnes crushed a double to score Mummau.

The subsequent and final surge of runs came in the fifth frame when heads up base running allowed the Chargers to score Wyatt Lamb on a sacrifice fly, followed by runs from Stewart and Masters who capitalized on a High Point error.

"As a team we played solid defense behind Aidan's pitching and had great at bats that allowed us to control the game early on," reflected Sintic. "I was extremely proud of the way we played as we demonstrated this year's theme to 'Be Relentless' in the way we played."

A week later, the Chargers were handed their first defeat after a 15-game win streak, a 6-5 loss to eventual District III champs, Greenwood High School in the district semifinal showdown.

The contest, held at In the Net sports complex in Palmyra, featured late game scoring from both teams as Greenwood pulled ahead by a 6-2 count in the seventh inning. Despite three Charger runs in the bottom half of the frame to bring the game within one, the MC club was unable to secure the tying run.

A double from Mummau scored the final pair of Mount Calvary runs during the final at bat, but the Greenwood defense was able to retire the side leaving Mummau stranded at second at the game's conclusion.

Masters started out on the mound and lasted three innings, and Stewart pitched four innings in relief, sitting down four Greenwood batters and walking one while allowing zero earned runs.

Masters, Isaiah Shaeffer, and Barnes each had multiple hits, with two apiece, and Stewart, Mummau, and Smith each added a hit to bring the team total to nine.

A 14-1 regular season record started out with the Chargers' lone regular season defeat, an 8-6 loss to Upper Dauphin Area High School. The close loss spurred a Chargers' rally that claimed their next 15 games, including wins over Steelton-Highspire (15-0), Trinity (10-2), York Catholic (7-5), and Pequea Valley (6-3) in the early season.

"After losing our first game of the season we knew what we needed to do to be successful. As the season progressed, we were able to get great pitching and solid contributions up and down our line up," explained the coach.

The club faced off with conference runner-up, High Point Baptist, a total of three times in 2021, twice coming from behind to claim comeback victories 6-3 and 15-7 before culminating in the championship 6-0 shutout in the post-season.

In a late season skirmish in mid-May, the Chargers held on to a slim lead to pull off a 3-2 victory over Berks Catholic with Lamb starting on the mound, allowing zero runs and zero hits while fanning four.

MC held a 3-0 advantage from the first inning thanks to a series of singles from Lamb, Austin Shaeffer and I. Shaeffer, accompanied by a pivotal walk from Barnes.

Stewart came in from the bullpen and threw five innings in relief, working hard to get the save despite a two-run comeback attempt from Berks in the third.

At the conclusion of the season, the Chargers said goodbye to five talented seniors, Masters, Stewart, Barnes, I. Shaeffer, and Rutt each known for an impressive combination of skill, leadership, and work ethic.

Masters, who has signed to continue his baseball career at Division I, Mount Saint Mary's, led the team at the plate driving in 29 RBIs, scoring 29 runs, and hitting for an average of .574.

Stewart was a defensive constant, primarily at third base, while hitting .438, and providing another excellent pitching option for the team.

Barnes powered in 14 Charger RBIs with a batting average of .412 and produced pivotal hits in key, high-pressured situations throughout the season.

I. Shaeffer contributed as both a solid catcher and clean-up hitter. Thirteen of his season total 24 RBIs came with two outs.

Rutt anchored the team defense in the outfield with a nearly flawless record in center field, while also coming up big on offense, including three home runs this season.

"Our seniors will be missed not only for the contributions on the field, but even more for their contribution off of it," summarized Sintic. "They provided spiritual and emotion leadership, and it has been an absolute joy coaching them. As they move on from here, I would encourage them to 'Be Relentless' in the way they face life and more importantly as they pursue a relationship with their Savior."