In the end, the Trojans didn’t even need one to win the game.

Alex Watkins drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning as Southwestern beat the Marauders 5-4 at Packard Field.

“It doesn’t matter at all how it happens,” said Southwestern head coach Jared Brown, who earned his 100th career win in his 11th season. “These guys love baseball and they want to be out here. They were itching to come out here and get the field ready to even be ready to play. It hasn’t been the spring we’ve wanted from the get-go. … It was nice to get outside and get a win.”

George Marshall reached on a one-out error and Oscar Harris followed with a walk before Dunkirk’s Alex Biscaro struck out the next Trojans (1-1, 1-0) hitter for the second out. After a four-pitch walk to Cooper Charles, Watkins fouled off a pair of two-strike pitches before taking the last three pitches he saw for the game-winning walk.

OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Dunkirk’s Aries Cheverez makes a throw to first base as teammate Josh Lemanski backs up in the infield against Southwestern during Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 baseball action at Packard Field on Friday.

“We kind of knew we had him in a pickle once it got to 3-2,” Brown said. “It’s a tough situation for any pitcher. I think him seeing runners moving on the pitch might have rattled him and he just spiked it.”

“Those are the positions we put ourselves in at practice, to feel that pressure and feel the real game of baseball. He was ready for it,” first-year Dunkirk head coach Alberto Benejan-otano said. “Even though it was a walk, at the end of the day he showed up and competed. The best team won today.”

Neither team lacked opportunities to win it earlier.

The Marauders (1-1, 0-1) tied the game 4-4 in the top of the third inning on Anthony Dolce’s RBI groundout to third that plated Anthony Piede.

Dunkirk had a runner caught stealing third and stranded a runner at third in the fourth inning. The Marauders moved a runner to third with one out in the fifth inning and left him there. They also had runners at first and second with one out in the sixth inning, but stranded them as well.

OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Dunkirk’s Anthony Piede celebrates an RBI double against Southwestern in CCAA Division 1 baseball action at Packard Field on Friday.

“We had great plate discipline. We made the guy throw a lot of pitches. … That’s a part of the game that not a lot of people talk about. … We were deep in counts,” Benejan-otano said. “I think we need to work on our two-strike approaches, but at the end of the day I’m happy with what I saw.”

Southwestern left a runner on first in the fourth inning. In the fifth, the Trojans put runners at second and third with no outs, and followed with three straight strikeouts. Then, in the sixth, Watkins was hit by a pitch to open the frame and was bunted to second by Rece Card, but was left on third when a strikeout ended the inning.

“Three innings in a row we left guys on base,” Brown said. “We have to find the productive hits and be a little more selective, and have a better approach at the plate.”

Wilson Genareo started for Southwestern and allowed three runs on a hit batter, three walks, a wild pitch, a passed ball and Piede’s RBI double in the first inning. But the sophomore right-hander settled in to throw four innings of two-hit, four-run (three earned) ball with six strikeouts and five walks.

“Kudos to him for sticking it out. That was a rough first inning. That’s the type of athlete and competitor he is,” Brown said. “We thought if he could get out of that first inning, hopefully we could get another one or two, and he came through.”

Cooper Charles earned the win in relief with three scoreless innings, allowing no hits while walking three and striking out two.

Josh Lemanski started for Dunkirk, allowing five hits and four runs (three earned) in five innings of work while striking out eight and walking three. Biscaro took the loss, allowing no hits and one unearned run while walking three and striking out two.

“He lost the zone here and there. He left pitches up in the zone and they capitalized on it,” Benejan-Otano said of Lemanski. “When we keep pitches in the corners, paint the bottom and the top, he’s dangerous. Southwestern battled and made him work.”

Neither team will have time to dwell on Friday’s result because they will continue Wednesday’s rain-delayed game at 11 a.m. today in Dunkirk.

“A win is a win, especially against Dunkirk. Every time we play them it’s a grind and we knew what we were getting into,” Brown said. “We have another one (today).”

NOTES: Wilson Genareo had two hits, including a double, drove in a run and scored a run; Watkins doubled, drove in two runs and scored a run; and Lucas Genareo doubled, drove in a run and scored a run for the Trojans. … Piede had both of Dunkirk’s hits with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Anthony Cosme walked twice and scored a run.