The crack of the bat and slap of the glove were in full force this past week even though a number of school districts weren’t in session due to spring break.

Tournaments sprung up in Anne Arundel and Howard counties while some schools traveled out-of-state to play.

Players took advantage of the beautiful spring weather, especially our third “Prep Ballplayer of the Week” finalists.

Digging deeper, the winner of last week’s BaltimoreBaseball.com honor is appearing on the list for a second straight time – a first for us here.

THIS WEEK’S FINALISTS

Sean Kinloch, Sr., RHP, Glenelg
Kinloch had no trouble against Towson on Wednesday. The right-hander threw a complete-game shutout while striking out seven in the 6-0 victory. He allowed two hits and walked one. That’s not all though. At the dish, the senior hit a single, legged out a triple and recorded two RBIs.

Zeke Maldonado, Sr., INF, Archbishop Curley
Maldonado showcased his offensive talent this past week. In a 16-6 rout over Bel Air last Monday, the senior registered four hits – a single, double and not one, but two home runs. He knocked in three runs, drew a walk and scored all five times he reached base. Later in the week, he scored a run after singling against Broadneck in a 3-2 win.

Cam Nolet, Jr., LHP, St. Mary’s
I guess Nolet’s 15-strikeout, complete-game shutout last week – and our BaltimoreBaseball.com “Prep Ballplayer of the Week” honor – wasn’t enough. On Wednesday against North Brunswick (N.C.), the southpaw retired all 18 batters he faced, fanning 13 of them, for a six-inning, perfect game. St. Mary’s earned the 12-0 victory.

Others considered (listed alphabetically): Alex Barnes, Winters Mill; Dylan Gilbert, Glen Burnie; Sean Jones, North County; John McAuliffe, Glenelg; Michael Prosperi, Arundel; David Ridgely, Winters Mill; Will Schubert, Arundel; Dylan Young, Chesapeake-AA

In case you’re visiting our ‘Prep Ballplayer’ voting for the first time, here’s how things work: Three candidates will be revealed each Monday. You get to vote – early and often – for the finalist you believe should be our winner. Voting ends every Thursday night and the winner is announced each Friday.

If you’re interested in submitting candidates for our consideration, please send the player’s name, key statistics from the previous week and your contact information to [email protected]. We welcome suggestions and your feedback.