Bayside Battles: Early matchups to watch in baseball, softball, lacrosse
The Bayside Conference's spring season is just a few weeks in, and as things begin to take shape in each respective sport, marquee matchups are set to be held on the field. Whether it be games between local rivals or matchups between teams at the top of the standings, there will be more than a few games for Bayside South fans to circle on their calendars.
Here are some upcoming games to watch in the next few weeks of the spring season:
Baseball: Washington at Mardela
April 4
Mardela baseball has gotten off to a hot start to the season, with a 3-1 record in their first four games. This matchup features two teams looking to separate themselves from the pack in Class 1A, as they do battle with teams like Snow Hill, Pocomoke and Crisfield. This week's matchup between the Jaguars and Warriors should be a fierce one on the baseball diamond.
Boys Lacrosse: Easton at Stephen Decatur
April 5
The Decatur Seahawks boys lacrosse team have picked up a couple of dominant wins to start the season, beating Worcester Prep 16-4 and Kent County 18-5. As the Seahawks look to defend their Bayside South crown for another season, they'll get a rematch with the Easton team that defeated them in the Bayside Conference Championship game last year in Berlin.
Boys and Girls Lacrosse: Parkside vs. Bennett
April 8
The annual lacrosse doubleheader between Parkside and Bennett is set to take place next week, with Parkside and Bennett's boys and girls lacrosse teams going toe-to-toe at Wicomico County Stadium. While it is a big rivalry matchup for the two Salisbury schools, both teams will also be looking for a leg up in the Bayside South standings, as they each look to knock off defending South Champions Stephen Decatur.
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Softball: Colonel Richardson at Mardela
April 8
The defending Bayside Champion Mardela Warriors have run through the competition in the first few weeks of the season, winning their first four Bayside games against St. Michaels, Crisfield, Kent County and Pocomoke. And the Warriors also grabbed a couple wins in a softball tournament at Northeast High School last week. As they look to defend their Bayside title and make another deep run in the Class 1A playoffs, an early season matchup against one of the Bayside North's top teams, Colonel Richardson, will be a solid early challenge for this Mardela squad.
Baseball: Stephen Decatur at Parkside
Apr. 12
Last year's Bayside South crown came down to the matchups between these two teams, as Parkside and Decatur battled it out twice, with Parkside winning both on their way to Bayside Conference and State Championships. And with both teams loaded with talent, and Stephen Decatur looking to build on a Class 3A Semifinals appearance last year, this could be another important matchup in the outlook of the Bayside season.
Both teams have lost just one game so far to teams outside of the Bayside, and have each gotten off to dominant starts to the season against conference opponents. While it is still very early in the season, the Wednesday afternoon game between the Rams and the Seahawks is definitely a marquee one.
Girls Lacrosse: Queen Anne's at Stephen Decatur
April 16
A rematch of last year's Bayside Championship game, this girl's lacrosse matchup features two teams that are expected to be near the top of the Bayside's lacrosse standings once again this season. The Decatur Seahawks have gotten off to a fast start to the season, with a few big wins giving them some early separation from their Bayside South rivals. This game against the Queen Anne's Lions could serve as a nice early season challenge for the Seahawks as they look to capture the Bayside title.
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Bayside Battles: Matchups to watch in baseball, softball, lacrosse
