WINDSOR – Despite committing four errors over seven innings, the Windsor Rebels used its defense to preserve a 5-4 win over the Beaufort County Marlins here Saturday evening in American Legion Junior Baseball action.

Clinging to a 5-3 lead with one out and the bases empty in the top of the seventh, Windsor appeared on its way to a two-run victory, but their Beaufort County visitors had other ideas in mind.

The Marlins – using consecutive singles from Trey Bonner, Taylor Harrell and Jeremiah Moore – loaded the bases. That offensive barrage chased Windsor starter Wood Trowell, who had surrendered only five hits and fanned seven up to that point, as Post 37 coach Bobby Harmon opted to move starting shortstop Alden Cottle to the mound in an effort to silence the Beaufort bats.

On a 2-2 pitch to the Marlins next batter, Will Crisp reached first on an error, allowing Bonner to score, narrowing Windsor’s lead to 5-4.

However, Harrell attempted to score on the same play, and was gunned down at the plate by a throw from Windsor first baseman Brandon Ball for out number two. Meanwhile, Moore got caught in a rundown between second and third. Windsor’s second base-third base tandem of Evan Wells and Jarrett Burden worked the defensive end of that play with Burden eventually applying the tag for out number three to end the game.

Deadlocked at 3-3, Windsor scored what would prove as the game-winning runs by plating a pair of markers in the bottom of the third.

There, with two out, Burden laced a single to center followed by a walk to James Brooks. That brought Lane Slachta to the plate who ripped a two-RBI triple to rightfield, producing a 5-3 lead for the home team.

Both teams scored three runs in their respective first at-bats.

Two errors by Windsor, a walk and a pair of singles – one each by Bonner and Harrell – produced Beaufort County’s first two runs. The visitors from Post 15 made it a 3-0 lead when Bonner scored on a bases loaded error, the third of the inning for Windsor. Trowell was able to avoid further damage by striking out the final two batters.

The Rebels rallied for three runs to tie the game in the bottom of the first. There, Windsor loaded the bases when Trenton White and Cottle sandwiched singles around Zeb Askew reaching on an error. Run-scoring singles by Trowell and Burden along with Ball’s RBI fielder’s choice tied the game at 3-3.

White’s 3-for-4 effort at the plate led Windsor’s 10-hit attack. Trowell, Burden and Slachta each added a pair of hits.

“We survived a very shaky first inning and ended up holding on for a big win,” said Windsor coach Bobby Harmon. “I thought Wood showed a lot of resiliency on the mound and Trenton was fantastic behind the plate. He has really been seeing the ball well lately and Lane’s triple was a big time hit.

“We have a tough stretch of conference games coming up, so we definitely have some things we need to clean up,” Harmon concluded.