Hartman outduels Lichtenauer as Watkins edges Valley in 1-0 classic
HANOVER ― When Trace Hartman awakened Monday morning, he wasn't exactly thrilled about the chilly forecast. However, much like his Watkins Memorial teammates during their recent hot streak, he didn't lose focus.
The senior right-hander needed to be locked in, as he and Licking Valley sophomore southpaw Ethan Lichtenauer staged a pitching duel for the ages. Hartman threw a four-hitter and Lichtenauer allowed just two hits over six innings, but two big plays by junior Cole Massie lifted the visiting Warriors to a key 1-0 Licking County League-Buckeye Division win, their eighth straight of the season.
"Cole is a stud. I know he always has my back," Hartman said after Massie not only drove in the only run of the game with a two-out, sixth-inning hit, but threw out the tying run at the plate from right field in the bottom of the inning. "He had very good at-bats leading up to that hit, and you know he can come through at any time."
Hartman struck out eight and walked one in his first complete game of the spring.
"Trace pitched well, and when he pitches like that, you want to do anything you can to win the game," Massie said after Watkins (11-4, 8-0) built a two-game lead over Valley (9-3, 7-2), which had won eight of its past nine.
Lichtenauer fanned nine over six innings and retired 11 in a row before Chase Massie reached on a one-out error in the sixth, the only miscue by either team, and stole second. The Panthers intentionally walked Hartman with two outs before Cole Massie sliced his game-winning single to right field.
"I felt like I saw the ball well in my first two at-bats," he said. "I was looking for a good pitch to hit to the right side, something I could drive, and I was able to take it that way."
Valley responded. Theo Walsh hit into a force-out, then stole second. Gavin Bragg bounced a two-out single just out of the reach of second baseman Chase Massie, but twin brother Cole came up throwing and catcher Andrew Botts tagged out a leaping Walsh at the plate.
"I would have sent him too. It took a perfect throw to get him," said Watkins coach Donnie Schone.
Said Cole Massie: "I thought the second baseman was going to get to it, but I was able to set my feet and throw it hard. I just didn't want to over-throw it."
Sam Johnson had the only other hit for Watkins, a first-inning infield single, and went to second on a wild pitch. Hartman walked, but second baseman Wyatt Binckley snagged Cole Massie's blooper to short right and doubled Hartman off first. Hartman in turn ended a Panther threat in the fourth when he picked a runner off second base.
"The pace was good from both pitchers, and they kept the hitters off balance," Schone said. "That was the first time we let Trace finish the game, so he was happy."
Despite temperatures in the 40's, Hartman said he felt pretty good.
"I was able to get first-pitch strikes, and that was how I was able to have my best success," he said. "And I know the guys are looking out for me in the field."
Bragg had two hits for Valley, whose only loss during its current surge came 10-0 at Watkins. Binckley struck out the side in the seventh as Panthers pitchers teamed for 12 strikeouts.
"It was two great pitchers toeing the rubber," coach Adam Arcuri said. "We out-hit them, but they out-executed us, and that can't happen when you face a team of that caliber. It was still a complete 180 from when we played them the last time. I'm proud of our guys for the way they competed this time. It was a different mentality. Games like these, and facing a pitcher like that, will get us better prepared for the tournament."
While Watkins didn't score a lot of runs on Monday, improved hitting has been a key part of its turnaround after a 3-4 start.
"Limit mistakes, get guys in scoring position, and come up clutch," Schone said.
Added Cole Massie: "Our offense has been great. We've been getting guys on base and putting up runs."
Hartman said the Warriors don't want to get too far ahead of themselves.
"Stay focused on one game at a time, and play in the moment," he said. "Every at bat, every pitch, every inning is important."
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Hartman outduels Lichtenauer as Watkins edges Valley in 1-0 classic
