Mardela Wins Classic Pitchers Duel to Claim the Bayside South Title

No. 12 Stephen Decatur's 8-4 win over No. 24 James M. Bennett on Tuesday afternoon set the stage for a winner take all contest between the visiting Seahawks and Mardela Warriors on Wednesday for the Bayside South title. 

Mardela's Ethan Peterman and Stephen Decatur's Hayden Snelsire (Randolph-Macon) went pitch for pitch in a classic pitcher's duel that lasted less than an hour and a half. Both starters were fantastic and went the distance giving their respective teams every opportunity to win. In the end, it was Mardela who prevailed taking advantage of two Seahawk errors in the fourth inning for the 3-1 victory. 

Stephen Decatur jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a Snelsire sac-fly to left field plating Blake Marshall who singled to lead off the game. Snelsire then retired the Warriors in order on the mound facing the minimum through the first three innings. 

The fourth would be the only inning that Snelsire didn't retire the side in order as Mardela got its first baserunner of the game on when Jaden Shelton reached on an error at second base to start the inning. Following a walk to Dylan Smith (Salisbury), fellow Salisbury commit Ryan Teaman doubled to the right-center field gap to tie it up 1-1. Teaman's base knock would also be the Warriors only hit of the contest. 

With runners on second and third and no outs, Snelsire dug in on the mound getting a pop up to third and a strikeout for the second out. Two pitches later, Snelsire attempted a pickoff at third base that got by the third basemen allowing both Smith and Teaman to come around and score. 

The Seahawks would threaten in the fifth with two singles by Alex Gaddis and Marshall but failed to push a run across as Peterman got Brett Berquist to fly out to center field to end the inning. Peterman went on to retire the side in order in the sixth and seventh innings punching the Warriors ticket to Perdue Stadium next Tuesday night for the Bayside Conference Championship. 

Peterman allowed just the one unearned run in the first striking out seven and surrendering three hits and two walks. Snelsire finished with twelve strikeouts and walked just one. allowing just the one base hit to Teaman in the fourth. 

Mardela will face undefeated and Bayside North Champion Colonel Richardson Tuesday night while Stephen Decatur will wait to hear their name called as the MPSSAA Sate Playoffs begin next week.