Michael Watson squeezed home the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning with a well-executed bases-loaded bunt to lift Ida Baker to a 2-1 victory over Cape Cora Thursday night.

Baker’s Branden Gutierrez and Cape’s Brandon Marshall were locked in a pitcher’s duel well into the late innings. Billy Larrimore came on in relief to slam the door on the Seahawks to earn the win for Baker. Cain Spangler’s relief stint ended with his third loss.

Steve Nason drew a leadoff walk to start the game-winning rally. He took second base on a wild pitch before Dylan Placher moved him over to third with a groundout.

The Seahawks elected to intentionally walk Justin Pinto to keep the double play in order. Then, Tyler Cardini worked Spangler for a walk to load the bases with one out.

That brought Watson, a .500 hitter on the season, to the plate to finish it for the Bulldogs.

“We had a fast runner at third base and a guy at the plate who can handle the bat,” said Bulldogs coach Ryan Jackson. “We wanted to win the game and Watson executed the squeeze perfectly.”

Though pitching and defense were sharp, the loss left the Seahawks unsatisfied.

“We’re still not hitting the ball,” said Seahawks coach Mike Gorton. “We have to do a better job of driving in runners. We seem to be in a downward spiral at the plate right now.”

The Seahawks managed just two hits off Gutierrez – one by Brad Kopale and one by Brett Hobaugh. Their only run came in the third inning when Mitch Marinack scored on Marshall’s fielder’s choice grounder to tie the game 1-1.

“That saying that hitting eventually catches up with the pitching, well we have become the total opposite of that,” said Gorton. “Marshall did a good job (pitching). We gave up two runs. If someone asked before the game ‘will you take two runs,’ heck yeah, I’ll take two runs. Our defense played well tonight, you can’t ask for more than that.”

Caleb Farmer led the Bulldogs with three of their six base hits. Farmer singled in the first inning and scored from second base on Placher’s RBI single with one out.

The Bulldogs had two runners on the bases in two subsequent innings and failed to produce a run, leaving a total of seven runners on base, until the eighth-inning heroics.

“Our pitching has been fantastic all year,” said Jackson. “Branden (Gutierrez) has been on fire. Every time he’s on the mound we have a chance to win. He just didn’t get the win to show for it.

“I’m proud of the boys. They keep playing together and never give up. It is more stressful for the coach in these one- and two-run games.“

The Bulldogs (11-9) visited North Fort Myers Friday night.

The Seahawks (11-9) don’t play again until next Thursday when the face Charlotte.

Cape Coral 001 000 00 – 1 2 0

Ida Baker 100 000 01 – 2 6 1

W – Larrimore (2-1). L – C. Spangler (0-3).

Softball

Ida Baker 6, Cape Coral 0: Sophomore Maddy Peres was sharp on the mound once again, pitching a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts as Ida Baker shut out Cape Coral.

The win is the 100th for Bulldogs coach Morgan Klare, who started the softball program from scratch six years ago. Her career record now stands at 100-46. It leaves her one win shy of the school record for coaching victories which belongs to girls’ soccer coach Dave Trepkowski.

“I did not want it to be about me,” said Klare. “I was more focused on our (five) seniors. It was their special night. The players were all excited for me and wanted to be part of the team that got the 100th win. They wanted the night to be about me, but I wanted it to be about them.“

The Seahawks’ only base hit came in their very first at-bat. With two out, Amanda Hurley hit a ground ball up the middle. Baker shortstop Louie Ross charged toward the second base bag for a short-hop pickup, but the ball took a sharp kick over her glove for a single. Hurley was erased at second base on a fielder’s choice ground ball to end the inning.

She was the only baserunner for the Seahawks (8-16), who went down in order in each of the next six innings – including 11 strikeouts, six groundouts and one infield pop fly.

The Bulldogs put two runs up in the first inning on three hits. Shanelly Brown scored what proved to be the game-winner on a sacrifice fly by Ross. Katie Rieser then scored on Hannah Kelly’s RBI single.

They added three runs on four hits in the third inning.

Kelly, Ross and Rieser were among four Bulldogs with two hits apiece. Peres was the fourth. Ross drove in the final run with a two-out triple in the sixth inning.

“I’m focusing on us coming out with intensity every game,” said Klare. “It will carry us through these next weeks into the district (tournament). I’ve been blessed with having good players who have come through the Little League program at Burton Park. That’s part of our success.”

While the Bulldogs celebrated their five seniors and their parents with flowers and gifts before the game, they announced that Peres was named the MVP of the Kissimmee Klassic White Division. The honor earned her a $500 scholarship. The Bulldogs won the division championship with a 3-1 record last weekend.

The Seahawks are idle through next week while the Bulldogs (18-2), who locked up the No. 2 seed for the District 4A-11 Tournament, visited North Fort Myers Friday night.

Cape Coral 000 000 0 – 0 1 0

Ida Baker 203 001 x – 6 10 0

W – Peres (17-1). L – Harkins (7-16).

2B – Ross (IB), Peres (IB). 3B – Ross (IB).