STEUBENVILLE – The Steubenville battery powered the Big Red baseball team to a victory against Harrison Central.

Jagger Rawson started on the mound and limited the Huskies to just two runs, while Nolan Blackburn came on in relief and shut the door as Big Red escaped with a 5-3 victory Friday evening up at the Crimson Center.

Meanwhile, Karson Simmons – the other part of the battery – contributed two singles and two RBI to help his team’s cause offensively, and the catcher also threw out a runner trying to steal second.

“Two in a row,” first-year Big Red (11-4) head coach Justin Banks said. “We wanted to get out early, and we were able to do that. That will help grow their confidence. We were able to get out there and score some early runs. That helped us today.”

Big Red plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning before tacking on two insurance runs in the fifth to build a four-run advantage. Trailing by two runs, Harrison Central had the tying runs on the bases with one out, however, Blackburn struck out the next two batters to end the threat, the inning and ultimately the ballgame.

“It was really frustrating,” Harrison Central (11-5) head coach Mike Valesko said. “Early on, we didn’t compete. We are 11-5, and that has been an issue in all five of our losses. In our five losses, we have played 33 innings. We did not compete in the first few innings today. That cannot happen.”

Rawson, who was making his first varsity start, earned the win, striking out one while walking three in his 5 2/3 innings of work on the mound. The junior helped his own cause at the plate with a single and a double, and he also scored two runs. Blackburn, who came on to pitch with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth, struck out three and walked one in his 1 1/3 innings of work. Blackburn recorded a two-run triple at the plate, while also scoring a run.

“Jagger pitched a heck of a game,” Banks said. “It was his first varsity start. He threw strikes. I am very proud of him.”

The hosts led 3-0 going into the fifth when the boys from Harrison County tallied a run to pull within 3-1. Undaunted, the Red-and-Black answered right back with two runs in the home half of the inning to extend their advantage out to 5-1.

“We had to answer right back,” Banks said. “We had to answer. We had to get the momentum back on our side. We scored those runs, and then Nolan came in and does what Nolan does. He slammed the door shut. It was really nice seeing him back out on the mound.”

The visitors collected a run in the sixth and another in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to extend the game.

The Huskies left a runner on second in the fifth, left the bases loaded in the sixth and left runners on the corners in the seventh.

“I was happy about that,” Valesko said about his team giving itself a chance late in the game. “We gave ourselves a chance in the sixth and the seventh. The coaches have to be better, the players have to be better and we have to be mentally better. We have to be mentally tougher.”

Hunter Snyder took the loss on the mound for Harrison Central. He struck out three and walked four – two of which were intentional walks.

The Huskies outhit Big Red, 9-7, but they missed out on multiple opportunities to score.

For Harrison Central, Gage Stoneking tallied a single, two doubles and an RBI, Colton Mizer collected two singles and an RBI and Snyder delivered an RBI. Also, Colson Crothers, Lance Smith, Cash Meadows and Trey Dunfee all contributed a single.

For Big Red, Matthew Fabbro finished with a single and an RBI, and Royal Mayo recorded a single.

More than half of Big Red’s hits came in the first inning as the victors plated three runs on four hits to take the early lead.

Mayo led off the inning with a single, and the shortstop stole second base, and Rawson reached on an infield single to put two runners on base. Both runners moved up on a groundout, however, Mayo was thrown out at the plate trying to score on another groundball keeping the game scoreless. Then, Blackburn tripled to left scoring Rawson and Rocco Nocera, who reached on a fielder’s choice, to give the home team a 2-0 lead. Then Simmons singled home Blackburn to increase Big Red’s advantage to 3-0.

The Huskies got a run back in the fifth. Crothers singled with one out, and he scored on Stoneking’s double to right cutting Harrison Central’s deficit down to 3-1. Stoneking was in scoring position, however, a lineout to center ended the inning.

Big Red answered right back in the bottom of the inning. Rawson doubled with one out, and AJ Borsch was intentionally walked to put two runners on base. After a strikeout, Blackburn was by a pitch to loaded the bases, and Simmons singled to center scoring Rawson giving the hosts a 4-1 advantage. Fabbro followed with a single to left scoring Borsch, who was intentionally walked twice in the game, making the score, 5-1.

“Give credit to those guys,” Valesko said. “We had the situation we wanted. We intentionally walked Borsch, we got an out and then we had a hit by the pitch. That extended the inning. That gave them momentum. When you extend the inning, that’s what happens.”

The Huskies continued to fight in the sixth as the boys in the blue jerseys pushed another run across to make it, 5-2. With two outs, Meadows singled, Brady McAfee was hit by a pitch and Dunfee singled to load the bases. Then, Snyder was hit by a pitch pulling Harrison Central to within three runs. The pitch was the final one for Rawson, who moved to left field, when Blackburn came on to pitch. Blackburn was in a tough spot, but the senior was able to put out the fire with his first strikeout ending the inning.

After keeping Big Red off the scoreboard in the sixth, Harrison Central had one last chance in the seventh. Stoneking doubled to start the inning, and he moved to third on Smith’s single to right. Mizer then hit a sacrifice fly to left scoring Stoneking pulling the Huskies to within 5-3. Colton Rutters then was issued a walk to give the Huskies a pair of baserunners, however, Blackburn struck out the next two batters to end the game.

“Harrison Central is a great program,” Banks said. “Coach Valesko does a really-good job. We knew they were going to fight. We knew they were going to stay in the game until the end. They battled until the last out.”

The game was the final for both team’s prior to the cutoff to qualify for the annual OVAC Tournament. The top four in each class qualify for the conference tournament. Big Red has qualified for the tournament in Class 5A, while Harrison Central has made it in Class 4A. The semifinals will be played Monday. The pairings are set to be announced over the weekend.

Big Red 5, Harrison Central 3

Harrison Central 000 011 1 – 3 9 0

Big Red 300 020 X – 5 7 0

HARRISON CENTRAL (11-5): Snyder LP (3K, 4BB) and Mizer. Snyder RBI; Crothers S; Stoneking S, 2D, RBI; Smith S; Mizer 2S, RBI; Meadows S; Dunfee S.

BIG RED (11-4): Rawson WP (5 2/3IP, 1K, 3BB), Blackburn (1 1/3IP, 3K, 1BB) and Simmons. Mayo S; Rawson S, D; Blackburn T, 2RBI; Simmons 2S, 2RBI; Fabbro S, RBI.