FOUNTAIN SPRINGS - With the temperature hovering in the mid-40s and the wind at 10 mph, it wasn't an ideal day for basball.

And with maybe the best pitcher in the Schuylkill League tossing a sneaky fastball, a dipping curve and a superb off-speed pitch, Tamaqua struggled offensively and dropped its league opener to North Schguylkill, 6-0, on Wednesday.Spartan lefthander Bobby Grigas has been using his off-speed pitch to near perfection and his coach Nick Brayford says it has been the key this early in the season."His off-speed pitch is the key," Brayford said as he watched his team improve to 6-1 on a season that has included a recent trip to Hilton Head Island, SC. "When your pitcher gets ahead in the count, that off-speed pitch and the curve are extra tough to hit."The only legitimate threat the Blue Raiders brewed came in the top of the first. Tamaqua put its first two runners on base when Daylon Barron walked and Zachary Colman bunted for a single."We tried playing small ball (early)," said veteran Tamaqua skipper Jeff Reading. "But (Grigas) found a way to get out of trouble. I think he's the best pitcher in the league."With no outs, Grigas got a force out at third, a strikeout and then a short-to-first groundout to detour the threat. He then proceeded to allow only one other hit, that to Russell Blaker with two outs in the fourth. The splendid two-hitter by Grigas found him walking only two batters and striking out six."We're on a nice roll right now and we're playing with a lot of confidence," said Brayford. "Everyone's pitching in. We're getting hits up and down the order and when that happens your game rises."North Schuylkill's two-hole hitter Richie Zahodnick was at the forefront with a 3-for-3 afternoon, bashing a double, two singles and three RBIs to pace the attack.North Schuylkill got the only runs it would need in the first as Zahodnick and Bobby Wagner drove in runs. It added insurance in the third as Tevin Murray's two-run double was the key blow. Murray then singled home the game's final run in the sixth."We beat a pretty good team and a very good pitcher," Brayford said. "Anytime you can beat Tamaqua it's a big win. Jeff's teams are always tough to defeat."DIAMOND DUST …Tamaqua dropped its first game of the season after a 3-0 start.BALLS AND STRIKES …Grigas won his second game of the season. He threw 98 pitches, 70 for strikes; Minchoff worked four innings, striking out five, walking two and giving up six hits.WIND BLOWN ...It was a tough day for outfielders, but none made an error. They made some great plays, as the ball looked like a balloon floating from side-to-side.Tamaqua 000 000 0 - 0 2 1No. Schuylkill 230 001 x - 6 7 0Minchoff, Titus (5) and Rother; Grigas and Burke. W - Grigas. L - Minchoff.