Towson left-hander Adam Decker was grateful for his team’s defense, which turned three double-plays against rival Dulaney on Monday.
Decker helped his own cause by keeping the visiting Lions mostly off-balance at the plate and hitting a solo home run. Aziz Bishop also homered to help the Generals pick up an impressive 3-1 win against No. 13 Dulaney on a windy afternoon.
“It was exciting,” Decker said. “There was a lot of tension, especially with a rivalry game. Thank God for my defense. Everyone did a great job.”
Decker threw a complete game, allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts and three walks. His slider was his most effective pitch, especially against left-handers.
[ See scores and stats from Monday's high school action ]
The Generals (8-2) took a 1-0 lead in the second when Decker hammered a pitch by Connor Dow over the center field fence. The entire team greeted him at home plate.
“That helped a lot,” Decker said of the homer. “It got everyone on the bench excited.”
Dulaney (8-2) loaded the bases in the second, but Decker got out of the jam when second baseman Marquise Harris caught a sharp liner by Dow and then got the force at second base.
“Sometimes, the other team hits it so hard, you work into a double play,” Towson coach Shawn Tormey said. “We were really fortunate today. That’s an incredibly good team. We know how fortunate we are.”
The Lions tied the game in the third when Thomas Mezzullo reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second, and later stole home. Mezzullo finished with two hits for Dulaney.
However, Towson answered in the bottom half of that inning when Bishop hit a solo homer.
Varsity Highlights
The Lions threatened again in the sixth but Harris completed another double play off another line drive by Liam Gaumont.
“I am completely proud of those guys,” Dulaney coach Max Jemellaro said about his team. “I think we played our best game of the year today. We were hitting the ball hard. We were making adjustments. It was just an unfortunate break. We were hitting it right at them in key spots.”
Towson added an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning when Michael Parry (2-for-4) hit a two-out double and scored on a single by Nate Berkowitz.
D — 001 000 0 — 1 5 0
T — 011 001 X — 3 7 0
D — Dow, Farlow (3) and Gaumont; T — Decker and Grotsky
2B: D — Musselman; T — Parry