Adamski finds redemption at Brooks Robinson All-Star game

A little over a month ago, Frank Adamski tearfully hugged his John Carroll baseball teammates for a final time after a nightmarsh loss.

Fast forward to Sunday evening and the recent Patriot graduate stood near home plate at Oriole Park at Camden Yards after the Brooks Robinson High School All-Star Game.

“It’s a dream come true, honestly. I’m standing over there at third and thinking Manny (former Oriole third basemen Manny Machado) played here, Ramon Urias, Brooks Robinson, all the greats,” said Adamski. “It’s surreal, you don’t realize where you are until you’re actually there…you’re standing on this dirt, the same that legends have stood on.”

It was an emotional 360-degree turnaround for Adamski, who was the Most Valuable Player for the North, which defeated the South, 5-3. It was the 41st playing of the definitive senior all-star game in Maryland, named after the Oriole Hall of Famer.

Adamski’s 2-run triple highlighted a 3-run opening stanza for the North, which extended its lead in the series to 21-16-3. There was no contest in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2016 contest was stopped after two innings for rain.

Adamski, who will play for Coastal Carolina University next year, was a pitcher/infielder for John Carroll, which was in position for a second straight trip to the finals of the MIAA A Conference double elimination tournament with a 3-0 lead against Calvert Hall in the bottom of the seventh.

Adamski, in relief, gave up a grand slam, ending the Patriots’ season - and his varsity career - in stunning fashion.

“I can’t really put into words that last high school game. It’s hard to wrap up that around your head, but it happens, I got to move on,” said Adamski. “I got a whole life and college career ahead of me. Better things are going to happen.”

Adamski lined a shot off South pitcher Cody Sharman (Archbishop Spalding) to the right centerfield wall, scoring Amari Allen (Sherwood) and former John Carroll teammate Ethan Ruiz for the game’s first runs. He crossed home plate with the North’s third run seconds later as Ryan Bouma (Sherwood) singled on the next pitch.

Adamski sent Gilman’s Cooper Sidell’s first offering into leftfield for a single in the sixth as the North got an insurance run. Sidell will pitch for College World Series participant Wake Forest next spring.

Adamski relished winning one last confrontation with Seton Hall recruit Sharman, who helped No. 1 Spalding to back-to-back MIAA A championships, including a victory over John Carroll in the final game last spring.

“We’ve battled for so many years and he’s a great pitcher, all the credit in the world,” said Adamski. “He threw a first pitch changeup and I kind of figured he was going to come back with a changeup…I just sat back and ran it into the barrel (of bat).”

Adamski said he was “jittery” in his opening at-bat, but his angst quickly went away as he rounded the bases.

Like the rest of Sunday’s participants, Adamski, a lifelong Orioles fan, enjoyed the experience of playing at Oriole Park.

“In a normal high school game, anything can happen, I go out there I play well or I play bad, I still get to go home,” said Adamski. “Here, it’s a little bit different, there are guys that play and go into that locker room and get to go in their nice cars to their nice homes. Hopefully one day I can get there too.”

North County catcher Kyle Lowman was the South’s MVP. Lowman, who helped the Knights to the Anne Arundel County championship game this spring, singled home Ethan McNally (Spalding) with the South’s final run. Sam Howard from South River was the South’s Most Outstanding Pitcher, striking out two in an inning of work.

Dylan Melton (Glenelg Country) and Gillman’s Adam Hicks played well for South. Melton, an UMBC recruit, reached base four times (two hits and two walks) and scored a run. Hicks, who will play for Gettysburg, doubled home Crofton’s Alex Craig in the fourth for the South’s second run and made a nice diving catch in right in the sixth.

BROOKS ROBINSON ALL-STAR GAME

at Oriole Park at Camden Yards

NORTH 5, SOUTH 3

North 310 001 0 - 5 7 0

South 100 100 1 - 3 5 1

Johnson, Ellison (3), Diehl (5), Berger (6), Simpson (7), and Pratt, Martin (3), Pratt (5); Sharman, Murphy (3), Sidell (5), Howard (7) and McNally, Lowman (2), McNally (3), Lowmant(4), McNally (5), Lowman (6), McNally (7)

2B: North - Gross; South - Hicks

3B: North - Adamaski

NORTH stats (local players only)

Hitting

Nick Pratt (Indian Creek): 0-for-4

Frank Adamski (John Carroll): 2-for-3, 2 RBI, run scored

Ethan Ruiz (John Carroll): 2-for-3, run scored, hit by pitch

Griffin Shirk (John Carroll): 0-for-0, 2 walks, hit by pitch, stolen base

Pitching

Liam Diehl (Hereford): 1 inning, 0 runs, hit, strikeout, walk

SOUTH stats (local players only)

Hitting

Kyle Lowman (North County): 1-for-2, RBI, walk

Ethan McNally (Spalding): 0-for-1, run scored, 2 walks, fielder’s choice, stolen base

Austin Carter (North County): 0-for-4

Quinn Dean (Reservoir): 0-for-3, hit by pitch

Aidan Harris (Hammond): 1-for-3

Dylan Melton (Glenelg Country): 2-for-2, run scored, 2 walks, stolen base

Alex Craig (Crofton): 0-for-2, run scored, walk

Adam Hicks (Gilman): 1-for-3, RBI

Sam Ross (Crofton): 0-for-2, fielder’s choice, stolen base

Pitching

Cody Sharman (Spalding): 2 innings, 4 runs, 3 hits, 2 strikeouts, 3 hit batters

Sean Murphy (Broadneck): 2 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 2 strikeouts, 2 walks

Cooper Sidell (Gilman): 2 innings, run, 4 hits, 2 strikeouts, 2 walks

Sam Howard (South River): 1 inning, 0 runs, hit, 2 strikeouts

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