Former Seahawk Kevin McRoy wins first game as manager

Whether it’s Major League or Little League Baseball, Opening Day has a certain feel, an aura of sorts. Every ball club enters with a blank slate and the opportunity at a new beginning, each player hopeful that their dirt-stained pants and grass-stained elbows will pay dividends at season’s end.

On Thursday, the Southside Seahawks and first-year manager Kevin McRoy defeated Plymouth to open the season, 12-7.

Plymouth’s Opening Day roster featured four athletes who had never competed on the diamond prior to Thursday’s game, while Southside fielded a remarkably young team of just two seniors, four sophomores and three freshmen.

“We came out aggressive, put the bat on the ball and put it in play,” McRoy said. “I think the first couple innings we were aggressive, and then we got relaxed. I was pleased with our effort today from top to bottom.”

Southside tagged Plymouth starter Blake Holloway for five runs in the first inning on a walk, two errors, a hit batsman and a single. And the Seahawks needed the early run support, as senior starter Terry Moore administered four walks in the first inning, scoring two Vikings.

Southside added to its lead in the fourth inning on two walks and a big RBI single from senior shortstop Alex Graves. The Seahawks had a commanding 9-2 lead heading into the fifth inning, but the young and inexperienced Plymouth squad would fight back.

The Vikings tacked on four runs on one walk and three hits in the top of the fifth, shrinking the Seahawks’ lead to just three. However, McRoy’s team answered the call in the bottom half of the inning, answering with three runs of their own on one hit, one walk and two Viking errors. The 12 runs were enough to give Southside its first W on the young season, and give McRoy a victory in his first game as Seahawks’ manager.

“It’s not about me, it’s about them. As a former player here, it’s always good to come back and win and do your alma mater good,” McRoy said. “These players, they do everything that I ask, and it’s all about them. They make my job easier. It feels good to get the monkey off the back, but I don’t care about me, I’m glad we’re 1-0. “

The Seahawks will try to improve to 2-0 on the season when they rematch the Vikings at Plymouth on Monday.