The Sparrows Point High School baseball team pushed past Dundalk High School in a close 4-3 victory, extending the Pointers’ win streak to four straight games.
The Pointers and Owls met on Dundalk’s baseball diamond on Monday at 4 p.m., with both teams trying to climb up the county’s divisional standings in time for the playoffs.
While Sparrows Point came into the matchup on a three-game win streak that has catapulted them into the middle of the standings, Dundalk High School suffered two big losses prior that slid the Owls down the table.
Kicking off the first inning, Owls pitcher Mekhi Mancuso delivered two straight strikeouts that sent a hard message to the Pointers that this matchup will be a close one. Though Mancuso allowed one base hit, he followed it up by striking out Pointers’ senior Sam Crowell.
In the bottom of the first, Dundalk carried on their strong start by notching two consecutive base hits at the hands of Michael Baez and Mehki Mancuso. Though the Dundalk Owls would hit a popfly out, Baez would go onto score a run that was followed by another batted-in run that brought the Owls’ lead to two.
At the top of the second inning, Sparrows Point was determined to make it a ballgame — and so they did. Pointers’ catcher Logan Wallace bunted for a first base hit. Though Mancuso tossed in a strikeout, Wallace would go onto to steal both second and third base.
It wouldn’t be until Sparrow Point’s centerfielder Ray Faulk launched a hit through centerfield for a base hit that would bring Wallace to the home plate—rounding the score to Dundalk’s two runs and Sparrows Point’s single run.
The Pointers carried their poise into the bottom of the second inning, defensively. Left-handed pitcher Logan Deene immediately delivered a strikeout for Dundalk’s Morris Gomez, as the Sparrow Point’s outfield snagged two popfly outs.
The beginning of the third inning brought on an offensive masterclass for the Pointers. Sparrow Points’ Ryan Zickefoose smacked a bounce ball infield for a first base hit that closely ruled safe. The Pointers’ shortstop Austin Shifflet hit another bounced ball to pitcher, where both Shifflet and Zickefoose would safely get to their respective bases — one on second and one on first.
After Zickefoose stole third, Pointers’ Jacob Samsel hit a low ball past second base for Zickefoose to run down the home stretch, tying the game with two runs each for both teams.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Owls retaliated with a base hit from catcher Jaydden Espirisanto, who would be subbed out for Benkowski after getting on the bag. After Dundalk’s Justin Bowyer hit the ball past second base, Benkwoski ran to home plate to extend the Owls’ lead to one more run.
The Sparrows Point Pointers would respond back to the Owls in the top of the fourth inning. Pointers’ outfielder Gabe Todd smacked a line drive ball between third and second base to get on the bag. Sparrow Point’s Shifflet would deliver another defining hit, as the shortstop crushed a line drive hit for Todd to score that tied the game again — three runs for Dundalk and three runs for Sparrows Point.
When Crowell stepped up to the plate again, the Sparrows Point senior connected for a ball that would bounce in the infield. However, Dundalk’s Gomez would commit an error and allow Crowell to get to first base and, more drastically, allow Shifflet to score — securing the Pointers’ lead for the rest of the game.
Throughout the next three innings, Sparrows Point seemed to have an answer for any offensive tactic from Dundalk. Through Deene’s clutch securing strikeouts and Sparrow Point’s domineering outfield defense, the Pointers successfully held off the Owls from coming close to a comeback.