Photo by Kim North Martins Ferry players celebrate following their walk-off win against Fort Frye on Saturday in the OVAC Class 3A semifinals.

MARTINS FERRY — It was baseball at its finest, played between two quality programs with much at stake.

Fort Frye made the trek to the Purple City Saturday afternoon for an OVAC 3A semifinal contest, matching the 8-2 Cadets against the Purple Riders, owning an identical mark, with both squads boasting mound aces.

After seven well-played innings, coach Anthony Reasbeck’s resilient Riders pulled out a come-from-behind 2-1 triumph. The hosts did not score until their sixth at-bat.

The win propels the Purple Riders into the OVAC title game against Barnesville. The Shamrocks downed top-seeded Linsly, 5-1. Ferry and Barnesville will vie for the conference crown Saturday at 11 a.m. at newly refurbished Edison High School.

The Purple Riders downed the Shamrocks in last year’s conference semi-final tilt. Ferry subsequently lost to Linsly in the championship game.

Colby Shriver, as is usually the case, was brilliant on the hill for Ferry. He had to be as Fort Frye’s Clay Gruey, a Morgan High transfer, was nearly as brilliant.

Shriver scattered just six hits while striking out 10 and walking nary a batter. The Cadets’ lone run was an unearned one in the first.

“I wasn’t worried when they scored one run in the first inning. I figured we would score a lot of runs today,” Shriver said. “But as the game goes deeper and deeper you get a little worried when you are still trailing. But we were able to finally get it done.

“It was a fun game to pitch. Their pitcher was really good so it makes me want to pitch better,” he added. “We are looking forward to playing Barnesville again. We owe them one. They beat us in the district last year.”

Gruey, meanwhile, also went the route. He allowed just seven hits while fanning two and walking none. He did plunk two batters.

“What more can I say about Colby? It sounds like a broken record,” Reasbeck said. “Colby is the most consistent guy you could ask for. I have been head coach here for 12 years and he is 1A and 1B.

“Colby is a tremendous competitor. We come to expect performances like this every time he takes the mound,” added the former Ferry athletic star. “He is one hell of a pitcher and character young man.”

Fort Frye’s lone run was ironically scored by a Cadet who Shriver struck out to open the game. Cadets’ leadoff hitter Dawson Layton struck out, but reached first after the ball got past the catcher. He later scored on a two-out single by Ian Ellis.

While Shriver hurled a gem, he was far from the lone Purple standout. The Ferrians boasted heroes aplenty.

Down 1-0 in the sixth, Ferry third baseman Colin Sneadeker crushed a Gruey offering over the left field fence, knotting matters at 1-1.

Fort Frye threatened in the seventh, putting runners on second and third with one out. The Cadets’ Carman Tennant lofted a fly ball to rightfield. Ferry freshman Ayden Ludolph made the catch and fired a strike to home plate to gun down Jackson Love, ending the inning and keeping the score tied.

The Purple Riders, now riding a wave of momentum, took care of business on the strength of some two-out lightning in the seventh.

Designated hitter Jesse Nagel kept the hosts alive with an infield single. Ludolph was beaned for the second time on the day. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Catcher Colten Redinger delivered the game-winner via an infield single deep in the hole at shortstop.

“We had so many players step up. But they are athletes and competitors. They perform well in other sports,” Reasbeck said. “Ayden was starting quarterback for us as a freshman. So, I am not surprised he made a great throw. Jesse and Colten are battled-tested veterans. Colby was great, but we had a lot of other players do really good things.”

The loss was a tough pill to swallow for Fort Frye head coach Trey Engle.

“It was really a great game to be a part of. It was well played with two super pitchers,” Engle said. “It went our way for the first five innings. They did what they needed to do in their last two at-bats.

“I am proud of our kids and their effort today. I am just disappointed for our kids,” he continued. “But our hats are off to Martins Ferry. They are a well-coached team.”

This will be Reasbeck’s third OVAC championship game appearance. In addition to last year’s game, the Purple Riders previously lost to Steubenville.

“It was a tremendous game today. It was a shame one team had to lose. The Engles are class people,” Reasbeck noted.

Sneadeker and Hayden Smith were the lone Riders to collect two hits.