Schuylkill Haven's Alan Evans stands in the batter's box. Also pictured is Nativity catcher Tommy Bartashus and umpire Joe Gerchak (Photo by Eli Doyle).

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Schuylkill Haven came through with a timely fifth-inning rally to seize control and never looked back.

The Hurricanes broke open a tight contest with a three-run fifth inning and defeated Nativity 4-2 in a Schuylkill League Division II baseball game Tuesday at Scott Buffington Field.

“Early in the season, we’re a young team, we needed a win,” Schuylkill Haven coach Scott Buffington said. “We got thumped pretty good in the first games. This was a good win, against a good Nativity team.”

The Hurricanes (1-2, 1-0 D-II) manufactured the game’s first run when Alan Evans worked a bases-loaded walk to make it 1-0 in the bottom half of the second inning.

Nativity (0-3, 0-1) kept the deficit there behind steady pitching from Stephen Karinch, and the game remained tight through the middle innings.

Schuylkill Haven created separation in the fifth. Taking advantage of traffic on the bases, the Hurricanes strung together timely at-bats and pushed across three runs to extend the lead to 4-0.

Chase Maley dropped a bunt that was misplayed by the Toppers, opening the door for the first run of the inning. Two batters later, back-to-back RBI singles by Landon Houck and Bradyn Diehl extended the Hurricanes’ lead to 4-0.

Nativity responded late.

The Hilltoppers broke through in the sixth and added another run in the seventh to cut the deficit in half, putting pressure on Schuylkill Haven’s defense. With the tying run on base in the final inning, Maley worked out of trouble to close the door.

Evans earned the win on the mound, allowing one run on four hits over 5.2 innings while striking out seven. Maley picked up the save, allowing one run over the final 1.2 innings.

Schuylkill Haven totaled five hits, with Wyatt Gerber and Houck leading the way with two apiece.

Gerber also chipped in a stellar hustle play in left field, making a near-perfect throw to third baseman Bode Hinnershitz to prevent Nativity’s leadoff hitter for the inning, Ryan Examitas, from stretching a double into a triple in the top of the third.

“We beat a good pitcher,” Buffington said. “Actually, two good pitchers. We put enough on the board and hung on.”

Nativity also finished with five hits, getting one each from Karinch, Ryan Grabowski, Trey Keating, Examitas and Tommy Bartashus. Examitas drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, while the Hilltoppers left 11 runners on base.

Karinch kept Nativity within striking distance on the hill, battling through 4.1 innings and striking out six before handing it over to Examitas.

Game Summary

NATIVITY (2) — Karinch p-cf 4 1 1 0, Grabowski ss 4 1 1 0, Keating cf-lf 4 0 1 0, Examitas 3b-p 2 0 1 1, Bartashus c 3 0 1 0, Lutzkanin 2b 3 0 0 0, Clarke lf 2 0 0 0, Buchinski 3b 0 0 0 0, Daubert 1b 0 0 0 0, Sullivan dh 3 0 0 0, Frehafer rf 1 0 0 0. Totals 25 2 5 1.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN (4) — Evans p-2b 1 0 0 1, Gerber lf 4 0 2 0, Yoder ss-2b 4 0 1 0, Terefencko rf 4 0 0 0, Bayer pr 0 1 0 0, Maley 2b-p 3 1 0 0, Hinnershitz 3b 3 1 1 0, Houck 1b 2 1 2 1, Diehl c 2 0 1 1, Trostle cf 2 0 0 0, Neith ph 1 0 0 0. Totals 25 4 6 3.

E — Nativity 3, Schuylkill Haven 2

LOB — Nativity 11, Schuylkill Haven 8

2B — Examitas, Karinch, Keating

SF — Examitas

SB — Frehafer 2, Werez, Houck, Evans, Diehl, Hinnershitz

CS — Frehafer, Gerber

Nativity

Schuylkill Haven

HBP — by Karinch (Houck), by Evans (Frehafer). WP — Karinch, Examitas, Maley. T — 1:42.