As Northeast senior pitcher John Hodges walked off the field after his team’s 3-2 loss in the quarterfinals of the 3A East Region Tournament last season, he had a hard time accepting his season was finished.

“Heartbreaking,” he said of the Eagles’ early exit. “We had a lot better team than what we showed.”

With all but two starters players returning from last year’s team, Northeast is determined to have a happy ending this season. The Eagles are 7-2 and have a chance to win their first state title since 2001 behind two stellar senior pitchers. But Northeast’s players realize nothing is guaranteed in an Anne Arundel County league that is one of the state’s most competitive conferences.

“If we play our game, I’m confident we can go up against anybody in the state,” said Adam Bolling, Northeast’s first-year coach.  “If we don’t, it’s a different story.”

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Hodges (2-2) and senior Brody Kean (3-0) have powered the Eagles, and Bolling said his team’s pitching depth is so strong he can choose from eight starters.

“We are competitive,” Hodges said. “We keep each other going.”

Kean was the star this past Wednesday, as he picked up a slumping offense with a nine-inning gem, allowing just a run on three hits and striking out six before junior right fielder Josh Emge’s double scored Earl Geoghegan in the bottom of the ninth to give the Eagles a 2-1 win over Severna Park.

“This is Northeast baseball,” Kean said. “You better watch out.”

On Friday, Hodges pitched well, but not well enough in a 3-2 loss to Arundel, as the Eagles’ offense struggled. Northeast has scored just five runs in the past three games after plating at least 11 in three of its previous four, including a 27-7 win over Southern on April 2.

“We just need to be consistent,” Kean said. “We had it in the beginning, we kind of lost it, but I think now is the time we’re going to start getting it back.”

But Bolling is confident his team is too talented to be mired in an offensive slump very long.

“Our bats have fallen asleep a little bit,” he said. “They’re going to be back around and we’ll be OK.”

avitelli@baltimoreexaminer.com