MILLTOWN — Devin Walsh’s four strong innings of relief pitching and some clutch hitting propelled Saint Mark’s baseball to a comeback win over Delmar, 6-3, on May 6 at Gene Alessandrini Field.
The Spartans held a 1-0 lead entering the third, but the Wildcats quickly reversed that. Singles by Ayden McCauley and Sage McMullen, followed by walks to Ryder Keidel and Andrew Callaway, tied the game, and Tucker Pierson untied it with a base hit to left field.
Walsh came on in relief with the Spartans facing a precarious situation. He struck out the first batter looking, then got the next two swinging to limit the damage to just two runs.
The Wildcats did get to Walsh in the fourth. McCauley worked a one-out walk and scored a few batters later on a Callaway single.
Heading into the bottom of the frame, Saint Mark’s had been held to one hit by Delmar starter Bryce Hendricks. He retired the first two batters of the inning, running his streak to 10 straight Spartans set down, before James Baffone ripped a single into right field. Caleb King legged out an infield single before Dillon Thomas sent a game-tying double to the fence in right.
The game remained knotted at 3-3 into the bottom of the sixth. Garrett Quinn opened with a single, his second of the afternoon, and Zach Frame walked. Baffone’s sacrifice bunt advanced both runners, brining King to the plate. The junior lined a double down the left-field line to score Quinn and Frame with the go-ahead runs. The Spartans added an unearned run when courtesy runner Travis Milan scored after a Wildcats error.
Delmar had one final chance, but closer Brad Marks retired the Wildcats in order in the seventh. Frame recorded the final out in right field, lunging forward to snag a sinking fly ball off the bat of Gavin Linzey.
King had two hits and two runs batted in, and his courtesy runner, Milan, scored twice. Quinn also had two hits with an RBI and a run scored. Spartans starter Ryan Smith had two strikeouts, and Walsh struck out eight. The Spartans (13-1) host Cape Henlopen on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
For the Wildcats, Callaway was on base three times and drove in two. McCauley reached twice and scored both times, and he made a sensational catch in left field to rob King of extra bases. Hendricks had four strikeouts. Delmar (8-6) will take on Sussex Tech at home on Tuesday at 4:15 p.m.
All photos by Mike Lang.
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