BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s varsity baseball team rallied for a 4-3 win over Bayside South rival Parkside on Tuesday to improve to 4-0 on the young season.
The Seahawks cruised through their first three games, beating Mardela, 11-0, Crisfield, 10-0 and Snow Hill, 8-0. Decatur did not allow a run in their first three games and outscored their opponents by a combined 29-0. However, looming on the schedule was a week-two matchup with rival Parkside on the road on Tuesday with conference championship implications on the line.
Decatur scuffled a little early with University of Virginia-bound Grant Donohue on the mound and found themselves trailing in a game for the first time all season. Donohue allowed three runs in the second and the Seahawks trailed 3-0. Donohue would settle down and allow his offense to get it going eventually.
With UVA-bound Donohue in the game, along with Decatur’s University of Maryland-bound shortstop Justin Meekins and Parkside’s University of Maryland-bound Hunter Parsons, there were several scouts in attendance, adding to the drama around the contest.
The Seahawks scored twice in the fourth to cut the lead to 3-2. Meanwhile, Donohue continued to mow down the Rams and keep the score close. The score remained 3-2 heading into the seventh. With runners on first and second in the top of the seventh, Decatur attempted a double steal and the Rams catcher threw wide of the bag at second, allowing Ryan Bennett to scamper home with the tying run. Minutes later, Decatur scored again to take the lead for the first time all afternoon at 4-3.
In the bottom of the seventh, Decatur turned to Brandon McKensie to try to close out the Rams. McKensie walked the first two batters he faced and eventually loaded the bases with two out in the tense final inning. However, McKensie bore down and got the final out on a check swing looking and the Seahawks held for the 4-3 in the early, but all important game against Parkside. Decatur played another tough early Bayside game against Bennett yesterday, which was played too late to be included in this edition.