Schuylkill Haven's Alan Evans looks for a sign from his catcher, while Minersville's Garrett Sukeena leads off second base (Photo by Eli Doyle).

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Schuylkill Haven found a way when it mattered most.

The Hurricanes scratched across a go-ahead run in the sixth inning and held on to defeat Minersville 3-2 in a Schuylkill League Division II baseball game Tuesday at Scott Buffington Field.

“Sometimes the 20th out and 21st out are the hardest to get, and they were pretty hard tonight,” Schuylkill Haven skipper Scott Buffington said. “We got them both, fortunately, and we were one run ahead after the 21st out, so we’ll take it.”

In a tightly played game dominated by pitching, both teams traded blows early before settling into a tense, low-scoring battle.

Schuylkill Haven struck first in the opening inning when sophomore Chase Yoder delivered an RBI single to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead, scoring junior Alan Evans after a leadoff single and a stolen base.

Bode Hinnershitz, a freshman, laced a ringing double to lead off the bottom of the second inning for the Hurricanes, but was one of three baserunners stranded at the end of the frame. Haven left nine runners on base throughout the contest.

“We had too many opportunities where we did nothing,” Buffington said. “We did not have some good at-bats, and later on, okay, we put the ball in play. Again, I guess we didn’t rip the ball around, but the ball found some grass, and that’s what counts.”

Minersville answered in the second. Garrett Sukeena, a junior, came through with a two-run single to put the Battlin’ Miners in front, 2-1, and shift momentum to the visitors.

That advantage held until the middle innings, as both starting pitchers settled in. Schuylkill Haven tied the game in the fourth when sophomore Bradyn Diehl drove in a run on a groundout, making it 2-2.

The game remained deadlocked until the bottom of the sixth, when the Hurricanes capitalized on a Minersville miscue. Taking advantage of back-to-back singles by Diehl and pinch-hitting senior Brandon Neith that put pressure on the bases, Schuylkill Haven pushed across the go-ahead run on a fly by to center field by Evans — one that ultimately proved to be the difference.

Evans was sharp on the mound for the Hurricanes, earning the win after allowing just two runs — both unearned — over 6.1 innings while striking out seven and walking none. He worked efficiently throughout and kept Minersville from generating sustained offense after the second inning.

Trostle, a junior southpaw, came on in relief and closed the door, recording the final two outs to earn the save.

Nolan Plesnarski, a senior, took the loss for Minersville despite a solid outing. The right-hander went six innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out five.

“Nolan kept us in the game, he’s a bulldog,” Miners coach Shane Spotts said. “This is now his fourth year pitching at the varsity level, and it showed tonight. We’re a little inexperienced at a few things, but that’s not an excuse — that’s on me to get the kids better and prepared. And I have to do a better job for Nolan, because he kept us in the game today in spite of me.”

At the plate, Sukeena led the Battlin’ Miners with two hits and two RBIs, while Plesnarski also collected two hits.

Schuylkill Haven finished with eight hits, with Yoder, Diehl and Hinnershitz each recording two. Yoder and Diehl drove in runs for the Hurricanes, who improved to 3-0 in league play.

The two Schuylkill League Division II contenders are scheduled to meet again later this season in the second go-round of the league schedule, with both teams also likely to factor into the District 11 Class AA playoff picture as May will be here in no time.

“Execution — making the plays that you have to make when you have to make them,” Buffington said about multiple head-to-head matchups. “Pitching, offense, defense — you have to do that to beat a team like (Minersville). That’s a well-coached team, they battled the whole time, and again, it’s that kind of game.”

Game Summary

MINERSVILLE (2) — Sukeena ss 4 0 2 2, C. Rogers 2b 4 0 1 0, N. Plesnarski p 3 0 2 0, Ryan cf 3 0 0 0, Correll 1b 3 0 0 0, Rizzardi 3b 2 0 0 0, Halupa rf 0 0 0 0, J. Plesnarski dh 3 1 0 0, Cutler lf 3 1 0 0, B. Rogers c 3 0 1 0. Totals 28 2 6 0.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN (3) — Evans p-ss 2 1 1 0, Gerber cf 4 0 0 0, Yoder ss-1b 4 0 2 1, Terefencko rf 2 0 0 0, Wehr lf 0 0 0 0, Houck dh 3 0 0 0, Hinnershitz 3b 3 1 2 0, Maley 2b 3 0 0 0, Diehl c 3 1 2 1, Trostle 1b-p 2 0 0 0, Neith ph 1 0 1 0. Totals 27 3 8 2.

E — Minersville 3, Schuylkill Haven 2

LOB — Minersville 5, Schuylkill Haven 9

SAC — Terefencko

SB — Evans, Diehl, Trostle

Minersville

Schuylkill Haven

HBP — Rizzardi (by Evans). T — 2:05.