BERLIN- The first week of the season brought mixed results for Decatur’s varsity softball team with a 15-2 rout of Pocomoke last Friday followed by a 10-0 loss to Bayside power Mardela on Monday.
The Seahawks, under the direction of new varsity coach Heather Patnode, blew out Worcester County rival Pocomoke, 15-2, in the season opener at home last Friday. Patnode, who has been involved in the program for several years, was promoted to varsity head coach this year, replacing Decatur Athletic Director Don Howard. Howard stepped down this season after leading the program for the last 35 years.
On Monday, the Seahawks traveled to Mardela and ran into a buzz saw in pitcher Kalie Adkins. On a brisk afternoon on Monday, the Seahawks could get little going at the plate against Adkins. The Warriors led 2-0 after the first two innings, but the wheels came off the cart for the Seahawks in the third. With a couple of walks, a few errors and a handful of well-placed hits in the third inning, Mardela blew the game open, scoring three times to increase the lead to 5-0. Adkins shut down the Seahawks the rest of the way and didn’t allow a base runner after the second as the Warriors coasted to the shortened 10-0 win.