One for the ages

As good as McKinsey was though, the Titans’ Karl Bennington was just a little bit better.

In an epic battle between the two hurlers in arguably the best game Frank Loria Memorial Field has seen in some time, Gilmer County improved to 21-0 with a 1-0 win against the Fighting Irish.

“I said earlier this year when T.J. won against Tygarts Valley that was the best he’s ever pitched,” Notre Dame (13-7) coach Patrick Marozzi said. “I think I can safely say after tonight, that this was the best he’s ever looked. What a great baseball game. I told the kids, that was the best game I’ve seen in 10 years. They are No. 1 for a reason and we were right there with them. We have nothing to hang our heads over.”

Both hurlers went the distance. Bennington allowed just two hits, struck out 12 and didn’t walk a batter. McKinsey surrendered just three hits and the lone run in the first on a play that resulted in a fielder’s choice. He issued four walks — two of those were immediately erased as the next batter resulted in the third out of the inning — and struck out two.

Despite the dominance by both pitchers, the bottom of the seventh inning did have some drama. With two outs, Spencer Harlow ripped a single up the middle. McKinsey followed with a slow grounder between Bennington and first baseman Luke Beal. The ball was muffed between both Gilmer players and Harlow alertly rounded second and sped into third.

With runners on the corners, Notre Dame attempted a delayed steal. Courtesy runner Chris Fricke broke for second, Gilmer County catcher Nathan Allison had a perfect pump fake that baited Harlow into leaving perhaps a hair too early and he was tagged out at home after getting caught in a short run-down.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that if that throw goes to second, Harlow beats it and scores,” Marozzi said. “He was a little bummed out after the game and I told him, ‘Hey that’s on me’ and I would make the same call again. Their catcher made a great play on that.”

Gilmer County coach Joe Frashure had a similar take on the play.

“We were conceding second base,” the Titans coach said. “Nathan had a great fake and he left just a step early. What a game though. T.J. is as good a pitcher as we’ve seen and of course Karl was great tonight.

“The funny thing is we thought about pitching by committee tonight. But when we got going, it had that feel that it was going to be this type of game. At no point did I think that one run we scored in the first was going to be enough and then we almost blew it on that routine grounder in the seventh.”

With one out in the first, Austin Ratliff and Bennington hit back-to-back singles. A walk to Allison loaded the bases. Seth Skinner then reached on a fielder’s choice allowing Ratliff to score before McKinsey got out of the inning.

From that point it was all pitching as there were only seven base runners an never more than one per inning until the Irish had the two in the seventh.