BERLIN TOWNSHIP — Berlin skipper Mike Weaver had just one directive for Chase Arnold and the senior first baseman followed his coach’s instructions to a tee.
Arnold singled in the game-winning run as the Bears knocked off defending Division I state champ Olentangy 1-0 in eight innings in an Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division nail-biter at Berlin.
Arnold came to the plate with the game-winning run at third and two out. He worked the count in his favor when Weaver called timeout.
“I told him he was going to get the game-winning hit and to make sure he touched first base when he did,” Weaver said. “We just laughed. It kind of broke the tension and put him at ease a little bit.
“But I did want to remind him he had to touch first base before he could celebrate.”
Arnold took care of the rest.
“I was ahead in the count, so I was just waiting for a strike,” Arnold said. “When I hit it, I was hoping it would get through the infield. I saw (Olentangy shortstop Ty Walburn) dive for it and it got past him.
“I was hyped, but I made sure to touch first base.”
Pitcher’s Duel
Berlin starter Teddy Porter and Olentangy ace Rocco Bucci were both sensational.
Porter went seven innings, allowing four hits. He struck out five and walked three.
“You’ve got to give Porter credit. He was really good,” Olentangy coach Ryan Lucas said.
Bucci was even better.
The junior left-hander took a no-hitter into the seventh before surrendering a pair of singles. He struck out 11 and walked three.
“Rocco is a great pitcher,” Weaver said of Bucci, a Virginia Tech recruit as an outfielder. “You don’t get many chances against him.”
Missed Opportunities
The Braves left 11 runners stranded and hit into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh.
“I told the guys after the game that we lost because of our inability to get a big two-out hit,” Lucas said. “I think we had five innings when we had at least one runner on base.”
Leaders
Walburn, Ty Gebhardt, Will Andel, Beau Mannino and Colton Shultz each had a hit for the Braves.
Arnold, Kole Jehnzen, Mason Quatrain and Dallen Maxson had hits for Berlin. Jehnzen led off the seventh with a single and eventually scored the game-winning run on Arnold’s base hit.
Championship Drive
Olentangy (12-6, 8-2) remains in first place in the OCC Cardinal. Berlin 12-4, 6-4) is third.
The teams will meet for the third and final time in the regular season May 11 at Olentangy.
“Then there is a chance we could see each other again in the playoffs,” Weaver said. “I told our boys that was like a tournament baseball game.”
