Former top baseball stars from Mobile and Baldwin County clashed in the third-annual Conflict on the Causeway, where the Baldwin Blue Crabs built a big lead and held off the Mobile County Cubs for a 5-4 win.

A first-inning walk by Zachary Harlan gave Baldwin its first run. Chris Peacock set the tone early, striking out five in two no-hit innings. Harlan earned the win in relief for the Blue Crabs, tossing three innings with six strikeouts and no hits allowed. Devin Jones, Stephen Williams and Dallas Bemis all closed out the game for Baldwin on the mound.

The Blue Crabs tallied 11 hits, led by Caleb Harlan and Clint Toomey with two each. Drew Milligan drove in two runs. Baldwin played error-free defense, highlighted by Caleb Hollis handling a team-high eight chances.

The Cubs refused to go quietly, clawing back with hits from Dylan Cook, Ryan Hughes, Mike Farnell, Elijah Cooks, Scott Bailey and Garret Waters. Waters and Cooks each drove in two runs to cut into the deficit. A great 9-3-2 — Ebert to Williams to Hollis — defensive play at the plate in the ninth inning proved to be the difference in preserving the one-run win.

Toomey earned MVP honors with two hits, two runs scored and three assists in the field. Waters was named Silver Slugger after delivering a two-run single in the ninth. Zach Harlan earned the Cy Young Award with three scoreless relief innings, six strikeouts, one walk and no hits allowed.

The Blue Crabs now hold a 2-1 series advantage heading into the 2026 Conflict on the Causeway.