photo by: Kim North

Barnesville’s Reese Stephen (2) is congratulated by head coach D.J. Butler after belting a two-run triple that keyed a five-run sixth in the Shamrocks’ 11-6 triumph over St. Clairsville Thursday at John Blacker Field in Neffs. Stephen also singled twice and drove in four runs.

NEFFS – The only two remaining high school baseball teams alive in Belmont County squared off Thursday in a tune up for their respective Ohio Eastern District semifinal tournament games next week.

Barnesville (20-6) scored five runs with two out in the bottom of the sixth to rally past St. Clairsville, 11-6, on sun-soaked John Blacker Field. It was the first win in three tries against the Red Devils this season.

The Shamrocks are the top seed in Division III action and will face No. 4 Garaway at Jay Payton Field in Zanesville on Monday. The Red Devils (24-3) are the No. 1 seed in D-II and will meet No. 10 West Holmes, also on Monday, on Mazeroski Field inside Sally Buffalo Park in Cadiz. Both games have 5 p.m. first-pitches.

“We don’t have a very good track record versus St. Clairsville. During my career at Barnesville we’ve probably beaten them twice,” veteran head coach D.J. Butler said. “They’ve been our nemesis and Coach (Tom) Sliva is a Hall of Famer for a reason.

“Hopefully, this will give our kids a huge boost of confidence going into Monday.”

After Ryan Ivey recorded the first two outs in the sixth, Max Miller ignited the late uprising with his third single of the game. Caleb Powell singled to right and Reese Stephen lined a triple to the gap in right-center as Miller and Powell scored. Duker Castello brought in Stephen with a single through the left side. Marshall Meade and Ayden Van Horn drew back-to-back walks to load the bases and Casey Carpenter’s sinking liner to right-center drove in Castello and courtesy runner Caden Sellers. Courtesy runner Colt Carpenter was thrown out at the plate on a fine relay trying to score from first. However, the damage had already been done.

“That’s something we haven’t done much of this season,” Butler said of the two-out lightning. “We haven’t been able to put pressure on teams when we have two outs, but tonight we were able to do that. That’s a big step forward for us going into Monday.”

Meade retired the Red Devils in order in the seventh to record the win. He struck out three, didn’t walk a batter and allowed one hit in two innings of relief. He was the third Shamrock to toe the rubber, following Dylan Blon and Casey Carpenter.

St. Clairsville grabbed a quick 4-0 lead in its first at-bat. Brody Saunders, Caleb Keenan and Colten Florence all recorded an RBI each.

After Barnesville made it 4-1 in the bottom of the first on an RBI double by Meade, St. Clairsville got that tally back when Hunter Hoffman doubled to deep right to score Braylen Blomquist for a 5-1 reading.

“We needed to get some at-bats and as you can see, we still need to get some at-bats,” St. Clairsville head coach Tom Sliva said. “We strung some hits together early, but later we didn’t.”

The score stayed that way until the Barnesville fourth when it crossed the plate five times for a 6-5 lead. Blon ripped a two-run double and Stephen had a two-out single that plated a pair. He scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.

Mason Myers found the right-centerfield gap for a leadoff triple in the fifth for St. Clairsville. He would race home on Brody Saunders’ groundout, his second of the contest. Ivey doubled to the left field corner with two outs and Bailey reached on an error as Ivey took third. Niko Jacob walked to load the bases, but Ivey was caught trying for home when the ball got away from Barnesville catcher Caleb Powell, but he threw a strike to pitcher Casey Carpenter covering and he tagged Ivey out before he could reach the plate.

“The blessing is that Monday we get to play another game,” Sliva added. “We need to get a couple more practices in and put this game behind us.”

Barnesville, which managed just two hits in its 2-0 co-sectional triumph on Wednesday, banged out a dozen safeties Thursday. Miller and Stephen had three each, with Stephen picking up four RBI.

“Reese has been in a little slump. He’s been hitting the ball hard, but it’s been right at someone,” Butler noted. “That’s big for him and his confidence. Max started the season as the No. 9 hitter and then went to No. 6. About halfway through the season we moved him to leadoff and for a sophomore he’s had a lot of quality at bats.”

Bush, Myers and Keenan all had two hits each for the Red Devils.

Hoffman and Florence preceded Ivey on the mound.

Barnesville beat Garaway 3-2 on the road early in the season. West Holmes and St. Clairsville haven’t met this season.