Photo by Cody Nespor Harrison Central pitcher Tre Rex winds up to throw a pitch during Friday’s OVAC Class 4A Championship against Cambridge at Edison High School.

By CODY NESPOR

Sports Writer

RICHMOND — You’ve heard of Christmas in July, but how about Valentine’s Day in April?

That was the situation at Edison High School Friday night as Cambridge right-hander Jack Valentine tossed a complete-game shutout en route to the Bobcats claiming the OVAC Class 4A Championship 5-0 over Harrison Central.

“He was a workhorse tonight,” Cambridge coach Jamaal Lowery said of Valentine. “He manned up and he did what he was supposed to do. He had all three pitches working well and he had a couple of big punchouts.”

Valentine yielded just seven baserunners across the full seven innings, scattering three hits and three walks while striking out 11.

“Basically, everything was just working. I felt really good,” Valentine said. “It feels really good (to win), especially on this nice field and in front of a big crowd. It’s a long drive home, but it was fun.”

As good as Valentine was, his counterpart did not make it easy on him. The Huskies had their own ace on the mound in the form of left-hander Tre Rex.

Rex, who out-dueled St. Clairsville’s Hunter Hoffman in the OVAC semifinal to get to the championship, struck out seven while giving up six hits and three walks. Only one of the Bobcats’ five runs was earned as the Huskies committed four errors in the field behind Rex.

“I thought he pitched well enough definitely to get a win,” said HC coach Mike Valesko. “He’s pitched well all year and I felt like (Friday) he was great. It’s tough when you’ve got that zero on the scoreboard (on offense). You feel like you have to be perfect in that situation.”

The game started with plenty of excitement as both teams loaded the bases in the first inning, just for both aces to strand all three runners.

In the top of the frame, Harrison Central loaded the bases with one out on two walks and an error only for Valentine to induce a harmless pop out to first base and a ground out to the second baseman.

In the bottom half, Cambridge walked and hit back-to-back singles to put themselves in the exact same situation — bases loaded with one out.

Rex, in turn, struck out the next two batters — both looking — to escape the jam.

“It felt like, in that first inning, if we get a hit there then you don’t know what happens,” Valesko said. “It’s 2-0 on a single and then you can kind of settle in a get things going. On the flip side, I’m proud of our guys for going out in the bottom of the first and getting out of it as well.”

Cambridge broke through in the bottom of the second inning as Davion Barr scored on a passed ball and Caleb Bond hit a groundball to third base that allowed Keaton Kyser to come home for a 2-0 lead.

The Bobcats added on in the third inning on their first of two so-called “Little League home runs” in the game. With Bryce Murdock on first base, Valentine singled into right field. The right fielder misplayed the ball, allowing Murdock to score and Valentine to reach third base. Valentine never stopped running, however, and collided at home plate with Harrison Central catcher Treston Nemeth, who dropped the ball as Valentine was called safe.

“I was rounding third and stopped at third,” Valentine explained. “I saw them throw it (home) and it was a bad throw, so I just ran home, I don’t know why. The ball got there in front of me, and I tried to dive under (Nemeth) and I think I hit his leg and the ball came out.”

The Huskies’ next best chance to score came in the top of the fifth, when they got runners on first and second with one out.

Valentine punched out the next two batters, however, and Harrison Central only had one more baserunner the rest of the game.

“We needed more opportunities throughout the game,” Valesko said. “It felt like we only had two chances while it felt like they were always putting pressure on us. And when you’re constantly putting pressure on a team, eventually it will come through.”

Cambridge put a bow on the game with another unusual trip around the bases when Barr tripled over the centerfielder’s glove with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Barr easily reached third base safely, but a poor relay throw afforded him the opportunity to come all the way home for the Bobcats’ fifth run.

“It was huge for us because Rex was throwing really well,” Lowery said. “But once we got into scoring position, we were kind of able to do what we wanted to do and capitalize on their mistakes.”

Friday’s win was a breakthrough for the Bobcats, as they had lost in the OVAC semifinals each of the last two seasons.

“We’ve talked about doing the little things, which we’ve done all year, and just getting over the hump of the semifinals,” Lowery said with a wide grin. “Man, it feels great. It feels good.”

Bond had Cambridge’s lone RBI while Murdock and Valentine each singled twice. Barr finished with a single and a triple.