Beaufort County Post 15 opened the season in thrilling fashion on Friday. The Marlins engaged in a pitching duel with Windsor Post 37. The visitors struck in the first inning and held that 1-0 lead until the bottom of the seventh.

Third baseman Jeremiah Moore stepped up to lead off the frame. After leaving runners on base in four of the six prior innings, Moore brought the home dugout to life with one swing of the bat. He lifted the ball over the fence in centerfield for a solo home run that tied the game at one apiece.

“It’s a rollercoaster, but that’s baseball,” coach Donnell Albritton said. “When you’re in a one-run game like that, there are going to be ups and downs, ebbs and flows. The way the guys responded, the dugout never got down. … I couldn’t be more pleased with the guys.”

The long ball sent the game into extra innings, but Windsor was able to escape the Susiegray McConnell Sports Complex with a 2-1 win over the Marlins.

As Albritton expected, Beaufort County’s offense was slower to come along. The defense, on the other hand, was sharp from the get go. Starting pitcher Cody Modlin rolled through 7 2/3 stellar stanzas, and the defense behind him was sharp in an error-free outing.

“Defensively, the whole infield was solid. Cody Modlin, I wish I could put him in my back pocket and take him everywhere I go,” Albritton said. “He’s a horse. … He’s a gamer. There’s no two ways about it.”

Windsor got two in scoring position with one out in the first inning. The visitors were able to scratch together the game’s first run on an RBI groundout back to Modlin.

Post 15 came close to knotting the game time and again. The Marlins had a runner in scoring position in the first and third innings, but Windsor’s defense was otherwise stout. With the top of the lineup due in the sixth, they were able to get a pair on with one out. Will Crisp reached on a fielder’s choice. Eli Maxey arrived safely thanks to an error at first that let Crisp advance to third.

The Marlins were able to execute small-ball plays to push Crisp across, though. Maxey got gunned down trying to steal second and a strikeout left Crisp stranded on third.

“I was pleased with the way we batted and put the ball in play,” Albritton said. “I wasn’t pleased we couldn’t play situational baseball. That’s something we’ve got to work on. There were three opportunities to get sacrifices down and move a guy over.

“In a pitcher’s duel, you’ve got to be able to play small ball. You’ve got to take the extra bases when you can get them. We didn’t do that tonight, but hats off to their pitcher. They’ve got a solid ball club.”

Post 37 took the lead in the top of the eighth on an RBI double to the centerfield fence. The Marlins seemed poised to tie the game or even walk off with the win when they loaded the bases with one out. Ryan Kolibabek drew a leadoff walk, which Crisp followed with a single back up the middle. Jordan Atkinson was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Back-to-back strikeouts left all three out there, though, and sealed the win for the visitors.