Epic Bayside battles: These baseball, softball and lacrosse games will crown champs

The regional and state playoffs are rapidly approaching for spring sports in the state of Maryland, but before those get started, teams on Eastern Shore will do battle for Bayside Conference supremacy this week.

The battles to be crowned the best lacrosse team in the Bayside Conference is set to take place on Monday, as Stephen Decatur's boys and girls lacrosse squads host the Bayside title games in Berlin. And on the baseball and softball diamonds, Parkside and Mardela will look to put a bow on their highly impressive Bayside campaigns, after each won big regular season matchups in the closing weeks to clinch the Bayside South.

Here are previews of the Bayside Conference's baseball, softball and lacrosse championship games this week:

Boys lacrosse: Stephen Decatur vs Easton

May 8 | 5 p.m. | Stephen Decatur High School

For the second year in a row, the Stephen Decatur boys lacrosse team is in the Bayside Championship game, clinching the South title with big wins over Bennett and Parkside. They dominated Bennett at home in an 18-6 win, and clinched the South on the road with a 17-8 win over Parkside, pulling away late after what was a close game through the first three quarters.

Decatur will also have the luxury of playing the game on their home field, as they host Easton, winners of the North. Easton defeated Decatur 15-8 when they faced off in the early weeks of the season, so the Seahawks will be looking for some revenge as well as a Bayside title on their stomping grounds. With the way the Seahawks have stacked convincing wins in the lead up to this game, they'll hope that momentum carries through into Monday night.

Girls lacrosse: Stephen Decatur vs Queen Anne's

May 8 | 6:45 p.m. | Stephen Decatur High School

The Decatur girls lacrosse team is also back in the Bayside title game for the second year in a row, and will also host their opponents on their home field this week. Their Bayside North foe will be the Queen Anne's Lions, who ran through the regular season competition with only one loss on their resume.

Cape Henlopen was the only team to knock off the Lions during the regular season, but these Decatur Seahawks came very close to joining the Delaware squad and almost became the only Bayside school to defeat Queen Anne's, falling 9-7 in a road loss to the Lions. The Seahawks have already shown that they can hang around with what was the Bayside Conference's most dominant team in the regular season, and with homefield advantage and a string of convincing wins in the lead up to Monday's game, Decatur looks to have a pretty good shot at walking away as Bayside champions.

More: Wicomico and Queen Anne's reach plan to resume play between Wicomico schools, Kent Island

More: With eyes on NFL, Stephen Decatur football star Brycen Coleman commits to Vanderbilt

Baseball: Parkside vs Colonel Richardson

May 9 | 6 p.m. | Perdue Stadium

The Parkside Rams were able to clinch their Bayside South crown with two big, thrilling wins over defending Bayside champions Stephen Decatur, one a comeback road victory earlier in the year, and the second being a clinching victory at home where they were able to hold off a late Decatur comeback attempt and finish off the job. Now, a date at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury awaits the Rams.

Also awaiting the Rams in the Bayside Championship game is an equally dominant Colonel Richardson squad who won the Bayside North. Fresh off of a state championship appearance last year, Colonel has made easy work of much of their competition this year, so Bayside baseball fans can expect a tough battle for the conference crown on Tuesday.

Parkside has been led on the mound for most of the season by ace Aidan Brinsfield, as well as by consistent contributions at the plate throughout their lineup. Both of these dominant teams have reason to feel very confident about their chances to walk away with a Bayside Championship on Tuesday.

Softball: Mardela vs North Dorchester

May 9 | 6 p.m. | Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex

Much like last year, the Bayside South softball title came down to a late season matchup between Mardela and Stephen Decatur, but this time it was Mardela to walk away with a victory on their home field, winning 3-2 and punching their ticket to the Bayside Championship game.

This game will be a rematch of the regular season finale between these two teams, in which Mardela won a thriller on their home field this past Thursday, with a walk-off single from Julia Wisk not only giving Mardela the win, but also giving their Bayside title game opponent North Dorchester their very first loss of the season.

Pitcher Ava Twilley has been lights out for Mardela all season, and the Warriors have been battle tested with these last two big wins of the season. But North Dorchester will surely be looking to avenge their only loss so far this year. It's setting up to be another great game at the Parker Complex on Tuesday between these two powerhouses.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Bayside battles: Guide to the epic games that will crown season champs