One inning made all the difference on Monarch Field- the second inning, where Park plated four runs to vault them over the Monarchs 5-1 to put them back in the win column against their longtime rival.

Nate Bittinger drove in three runs to lead the Patriots, who got back in the win column after a loss to Morgantown on Wednesday.

“I’m sure it feels really good to the players and good to us too,” Park head coach Steve Myers said. “We want to keep building, that’s what we want to do everyday, just keep improving. The guys played good today as a team.”

“Nate Bittinger had a big hit in that second inning, a couple big hits today. Guys worked through things, they kept playing, and they were excited to play today.”

The second inning was an exception in an otherwise fast-moving contest Thursday, with a couple of crucial miscues by the Monarchs prolonging a fruitful inning for the visitors.

“We didn’t make two routine plays that inning,” John Marshall head coach Mark Cisar said. “Two routine plays that we don’t make, four unearned runs that inning, and that’s the difference in the game.”

Aside from Wheeling scoring one more in the fourth and John Marshall getting on the board in the sixth, it was clean bills for either starting pitcher, Kolten Whitmire for Wheeling Park and Tommy Clegg for John Marshall.

Whitmire struck out eight over his seven innings, allowing just five hits.

Clegg struck out six over his day’s work. Neither pitcher issued a walk.

“We had a fantastic pitching performance from Kolten Whitmire and played good team baseball,” Myers said.

“Their kid threw extremely well, he threw strikes, changed speeds, hit his spots, did a great job,” Cisar said. “Our guy threw really well too. A great outing, we wasted a great outing and a great opportunity to be in the game. You hand them four, it changes the complex of the game. We’ve just got to make the routine plays.”

Clegg also tallied two hits, including double, and drove in the Monarch’s lone run in the sixth. Hayden Hughes also finished with a pair of hits for John Marshall. He also stole a base.

Bittinger was the key cog for Park, and had two hits himself, while Ryland Robb also had a multi-hit outing. Nate Simon had a double while Bittinger hit a triple, and Jared Marsh swiped a bag.

For the Patriots, the game was an improvement in their approach, and a reversal of fortunes after dropping their last two games.

“We’ve had a little bit of trouble as far as our starts,” Myers said. “We started a little faster today, we were a little more aggressive at the plate.”

Wheeling Park will take part in the Mon County Classic on Friday, playing against St. Maria Goretti.

John Marshall travels to play St. Clairsville on Friday.