By Lynn Schofer
The Laurel baseball team held off the final effort of Seaford in the bottom of the seventh inning to win the first meeting of the teams this season by a score of 3-1 last week. Laurel was led by junior Micah Niblett, who pitched six flawless innings, giving up just one hit. The Bulldogs had five hits in the game, scattered amongst the lineup, while Derek Copeland led the way with two RBIs on a double to the left field fence.
Seaford’s Vince Evans III recorded three strikeouts in the first inning, but in the top of the second, Cameron Dieter singled to open the offense for Laurel. An error on a ground ball by Kade Willey advanced Deiter. A sacrifice bunt followed by a sacrifice fly scored the first run. Evans gave up a hit to Matt Givens in the top of the third but struck out the final hitter to strand Givens on base.
There was a pitching duel between Evans and Niblett through the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Laurel had two hits and a walk without a run, and Seaford drew a walk over the four innings of play.
In the top of the seventh, Evans threw to first base for the ground ball out, but an error proved costly when a double by Copeland that Jorden Trammell had to chase down scored Niblett. On the next play, Hayden Bagwell singled to left field to score Copeland.
Seaford’s Uriah Taylor Brown came on in relief and struck out Max Allen. Junior Maverick Timmons singled to left field, but was stranded when Givens’ ground ball to first base was the third out.
Seaford opened the bottom of the seventh inning with a single by Miguel Sabino-Pineda, and with one out, Tyler Hitchens singled to right field to score Pineda. The next hitter, Levi Massey, walked, and Cameron Richards’ ground ball to Max Allen secured the win for Laurel.
The Bulldogs’ defense played without any fielding errors, while the Blue Jays had two in the game.