A new journey begins for Camp Hill

Last year, they were the overwhelming favorites.

This year, that title belongs to Serra Catholic while Camp Hill, looked at as a lock to repeat as PIAA Class A champion in 2009, isn't even a favorite to win today's first-round game against Northern Bedford County (16-6) at McConnellsburg.

Of the 64 teams in four classes that begin play in the PIAA Baseball Championships this afternoon, Camp Hill is one of three teams with a losing record and has the most losses (14) of any team.

The Lions' winning percentage of .363 isn't the worst but it's just barely better than Nueva Esperanza (6-13), which sits at .315.

Despite all of that, Camp Hill has to be confident in itself and what it can do in the remote District 5 outpost of McConnellsburg.

Two years ago, Camp Hill beat NBC, 9-5, a few days after imploding in the 3-A championship game and eventually captured PIAA gold.

But, probably a more accurate comparison of teams is this year's to the 2001 club that finished as 3-A runner-up with a similarly bad 9-13 record.

That season, coach Brad Shover's first, the Lions dumped District 11 champion Marian Catholic, 8-4, in the first round before winning an epic 4-3, nine-inning decision over Southern Columbia, the 4-A champion, in the quarterfinals.

Camp Hill then blasted Upper Dauphin, the team it lost to in the district final, 15-2 in five innings to qualify for the state final, where the Lions lost to DuBois Central Catholic, 8-7.

This isn't to say Camp Hill should make plans to be playing baseball at 3:30 p.m. June 18 at Blair County Ballpark in the PIAA Class A final but if the Lions minimize their mistakes and strikeouts, a win this afternoon isn't out of the question.