DAPHNE, Alabama — The Dolphins and Trojans traded the lead four times and were tied twice before Brooks Mason drove in Owen Shivers for the stay-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning at Daphne Monday.

Matt Walters then picked up the win with a relief appearance for Gulf Shores to hold off a final Daphne rally for an 8-7 first-round win in the BayBears Classic. Jordan Odom started for GSHS and went 6-1/3 innings.

Shivers led off the extra inning with a single and moved into scoring position on a fielders choice by Chris Brown. Walters had three RBIs on the night including a two-RBI double in the top of the third inning. The extra-base hit added to Odom's RBI earlier in the inning put the 'Phins up 5-3. Garrett Carter's single in the sixth scored Doug Olney to make it a 6-3 GS advantage.

The Trojans tied the score with a three-run bottom half capped by a two-out, two-run single by Ty Lowery and a pair of errant GSHS throws.

But the 'Phins scored again to lead 7-6 in the seventh when Mason scored during a rundown decoyed by Odom. DHS made it a 7-7 game on a two-out single by Ryan Lane to score Brandon Peterson from second. Peterson accounted for much of the Trojans' early offense and a 3-1 lead with a triple and two RBIs in the bottom of the first.

Each team produced six hits and three errors..

Gulf Shores coach Donnie Spohn was happy with his team's effort.

"I'm just proud of our kids because we had a lead, gave up a lead, and kept battling. We score a run, give up the lead again, but kept fighting. Both teams made mistakes, but early in the season like this, the team that makes the least mistakes gets the win. I told J. O. (Odom) I hate he didn't get the win because he pitched so well but we got a team win and that's most important. Anytime you play a team like Daphne and in an early tournament, it's good to get a win.

We start out every year kind of slow, so it's great for this bunch of kids to get off to a good start with a win this year."

Daphne coach Joe Hutchins was pleased with his teams' hitting but concerned about inexperience on the mound.

"Offensively we battled but we made too many young mistakes elsewhere, our pitchers got behind hitter after hitter. Lot of little, young things, but we're going to fix it. The bottom line is if we don't throw strikes and learn to pitch ahead of hitters, we're never going to win. When you pitch ahead of hitters, good things happen. But at the plate, we started out well. A double, walk and a triple our first at bat. Not bad. Had a couple of clutch hits. It's there, but we have to mature some young guys. And if we pitch we have a good chance to win some games."