Andrew Grimm ON THE MOUND - Big Red's Nicky Lovato pitches on Saturday.

STEUBENVILLE — Guided by an Ohio Valley product, Olentangy Orange had a successful trip to their head coaches former stomping grounds.

After going to Harrison Central and topping the Huskies 8-0 on Friday, 1999 Steubenville Big Red graduate Tom Marker’s Pioneers gave their skipper a 15-0 win over his alma mater on Saturday.

“I just love coming back here and showing our guys the Valley,” Marker said. “It meant so much to me growing up here so I want our guys to see it and understand how these guys compete here.

“It was a good couple of days for our guys.

“We’ve come down to the Barnesville tournament the last couple of years, it was good to see coach (Mike) Valesko and their facility out at Harrison Central (Friday) and obviously it’s a great facility here too and always good to come back to Steubenville.”

Marker’s team was the opponent for Big Red on the day it honored his high school coach, Fred Heatheringon, by renaming the field after the skipper that led the program for 37 years.

Orange (18-5) is the No. 4 ranked team in Ohio’s top division.

Big Red knew from the time the schedule was made that taking on a Division I powerhouse would be a challenge.

“When Tom asked to play this game, we knew what we were getting into,” Big Red head coach Justin Banks said. “We wanted to see a good pitcher and we did. It allowed our guys to see another quality arm and see what it’s like.

“We’re going to see another good pitcher with Tri-Valley in the tournament so I told our guys this will get us ready for then it matters most.”

Orange’s Reid Hemrick certainly showed Steubenville quality pitching, with a fastball that hit the 90s. He struck out the first three batters he faced and five of the first six, finishing with six punchouts and no walks in four innings. Big Red did get a couple of hits off of him in the third and fourth innings; Matt Fabbro doubling off one of him.

Steubenville (14-11) begins tournament play today, hosting Tri-Valley in the Division III East/Southeast District Quarterfinals.

“I told our guys Monday is when it counts,” Banks said.