The Marian and Panther Valley baseball teams had close games both times they met during the regular season.

The two outings were split with each one decided by a single run.

Saturday’s Schuylkill League Division 3 playoff between the teams at Tamaqua High School was another close game.

The pitching by both teams was stellar. There were no walks and only one extra base hit the entire game.

The defense was no less remarkable, with just one error the whole game.

The difference was that Marian was able to get some big hits with men on base.

The result was a 3-1 Colt victory that gave them their fifth consecutive division title.

“Timely hitting,” was the big difference in the game, said Marian Coach Tony Radocha. “We were able to get guys on base and move them around. We were able to hit with two outs. Panther Valley was able to get guys on, but they just couldn’t come up with that timely hit.”

PV coach Rich Evanko agreed.

“I thought overall today, our defense was very good, our pitchers did a good job. They had the timely hits and we didn’t,” Evanko said.

All three of Marian’s runs scored with two outs – one in the third inning and two in the fifth. When the Colts got their fifth-run hits, it was a result of four basehits in a row.

Doing a spectacular job for Marian was junior pitcher Alex Kubishin, who completed the game. He gave up six hits – no more than one per inning – and recorded five strikeouts.

Panther hurler Mark Kokinda was remarkable for nearly five innings, before the Colts tagged him for four consecutive basehits which scored two runs. He was relieved by Mason Goida in the sixth after the leadoff batter for Marian got on.

Kubishin said it was one of his best games this season.

“My favorite pitch today was the fastball on the outside,” he said. “It was put where I wanted, and that really set the tone for the day.”

Kubishin praised his defense, adding, “I wouldn’t be able to do it without those guys behind me. I love them to death. I dedicated this one to my defense for having my back.”.

Marian’s first run came in the second inning when senior Quest Wilson got on with a single and advanced on a passed ball. He scored on Julian Rickert’s two-out single.

In the fifth, after Kokinda got the first two batters out, trouble set in. Dante Agosti, Aaron Mason, Kubishin and Matt Doherty had consecutive hits with Kubishin and Doherty picking up the RBIs.

“Today we didn’t swing the bat,” Evanko said. “We got a little – I don’t know – I guess you could say gun shy. As we got up there, we couldn’t pull the trigger on some of the pitches that were right around the plate.”

Evanko said of the loss, “There’s no doubt it stings. But It’s not the end of our season. We have the districts. We still have one regular season game left as well.”

NEXT UP ... Marian advances to the Schuylkill League playoffs. The Colts will meet North Schuylkill on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Pine Grove in the second game of a semifinal doubleheader. The Spartans are 12-0 in the conference and 18-2 overall. Marian is 16-5 overall and 10-3 in the league. The opener at 4:30 has Blue Mountain against Schuylkill Haven. The twinbill was originally scheduled for today, but was postponed by rain.

KOBISHIN RECEIVES “DARIUS’ AWARD ... After every game, Marian players decide on what might be considered an MVP. The award is a large rubber snake they call “Darius.” Kubishin was the recipient of Darius on Saturday. As his teammates draped Darius around his neck, he proclaimed, “I dedicate this to my defense.”

AMAZING DEFENSE ... Both teams had some amazing defensive plays. PV’s Mason Goida had at least three spectacular plays. One was handling a blitzing grounder and getting it to first for an out, another was a leaping catch of a line drive and the third was, while on the mound, racing to the edge of the out-of-play line to catch a fly. Panther senior Brad Buzzard had a horizontal catch near the centerfield fence. Marian players also made some great plays, including a pair of flyball catches at the fence in the seventh by Agosti.

HITTING NOTES ... The only extra basehit was a double by Panther Valley’s Aaron Miller in the fourth inning with one out. He was left stranded. Aaron Mason was the only Colt with more than one hit, having two singles. Miller had two hits for PV.

Panther Valley 000 001 0 - 1 6 0

Marian 010 020 x - 3 9 1

Kokinda, Goida (6) and Taras. Kubishin and Rickert. W - Kubishin. L - Kokinda.