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STEUBENVILLE -- After several years of not having much luck against Big Red at Vaccaro Field, Harrison Central head baseball coach Mike Valesko said he joked before Wednesday's game he hoped his team's first trip to the brand-new Crimson Complex would change the fortune.
One game is a small sample size, but so far, the Huskies' skipper got his wish as Harrison Central overcame an early deficit and then fended off a late Big Red surge to hold on for a 9-7 victory.
"Pulling up here I told the guys we're turning the page and I'm really glad we've turned that page," Valesko said with a laugh. "We battled after getting down early, give credit to (Big Red), they came out ready to play. Our guys just kept playing, and I thought our at bats were good, we ran the bases well, we were aggressive, we got some bunts down, we fielded the ball … we played good baseball, not great baseball, but good baseball."
All joking about the change of venue changing the luck aside, Valesko and company take a lot of pride in being able to get a win over Big Red any time they can come out on top in the battle of programs with mutual respect.
"I don't care what their record is, their jersey still says Steubenville Big Red," Valesko said. "I told our guys before the game, during the game and after the game, that means something. I have so much respect for coach Freddie (Heatherington) and their program. Growing up in the Valley as a die-hard baseball guy, you think of Steubenville Big Red.
"It doesn't matter what their record is, that's a good baseball team and the best coached team you're going to play, so to beat them, it means something to us. I don't care if they're 4-15 or 20-0, it means something to beat Steubenville Big Red Baseball."
With Steubenville (5-13) walking Harrison Central (10-6) standout Treston Nemeth four times, including intentionally in his last three-straight at bats, the Huskies had to get contributions from throughout the lineup -- and they did.
Kaden Jurosko and Tucker Snyder each finished with three-hit days, while Anthony Pelegreen contributed a pair of RBIs. Nemeth did have an RBI single in the only at bat he was not given a free pass.
"Credit to those guys behind him, I thought our guys had really good at bats," Valesko said. "That's what it's going to take for us to be successful. If teams are smart, they're going to dance around Treston sometimes and if those guys behind him produce and help us out, teams will start throwing at him again.
"Those guys had a lot of pressure on them and I'm happy they came through."
After taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Big Red found itself down 7-3 through five and plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull within a run and threatened to do more as they left the bases loaded.
After the Huskies tacked on a couple insurance runs in the top of the seventh, Big Red plated a run in the bottom half and had two on when Wyatt Pierce fired a strikeout to end the game and lock down a 1 1/3 inning save.
"We're getting there," Heatherington, the veteran Big Red coach, said. "We just have to keep fighting and have to stay together. This is getting us ready for the tournament, we just have to stay together as a team and keep fighting.
"(Harrison Central) is a good team, our pitchers did a good job. We played good, we're getting better, we just have to keep believing."
Big Red's early offense came from Cooper Blackburn, who knocked a two-run single for the early advantage. He added another RBI single in the sixth inning rally to finish with three RBIs. Zach Smith finished three singles, plated a run in the fourth and reached in all five of his at bats for Big Red.
The Huskies got their offense going in the third and fourth. Nemeth and Reed Arbaugh had RBIs singles and Pelegreen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the third, then, in the fourth, Jace Madzia was plunked with the bases full to score a run, an error on a ball put in play by Pelegreen plating two more.
The runs that ended up being the difference came on a Tucker Snyder RBI single and a Madzia sac fly in the top of the seventh.
Nemeth got the win on the mound, going 5 2/3 with three strikeouts. Big Red's Lee Sewell went 3 1/3 and took the loss, striking out three. Lucas McAllister, who also had a double at the plate, also fanned three in 3 2/3 in relief.