OREFIELD — It was a classic pitching duel at Parkland High School Friday night as Northern Valley took a shot at being the first team to knock off undefeated South Parkland. The Trojans put up a first inning run and picked up one more later in the game for a 2-0 win over the Chargers, who now enter the loser’s bracket of the Lehigh Valley Legion playoffs.

Parkland leadoff man Joe Webber hit a long fly ball to center field that was misplayed, resulting in a three-base error. Gabe Stay came up and hit another fly ball to center that was caught, but was deep enough for Webber to score easily. The next two batters reached on singles, but NV pitcher Luke Eitner settled in and put down the next two batters to end the inning.

Eitner was impressive the rest of the way, allowing just five hits and two walks over six innings of work, needing just 76 pitches to get through the game.

“I’ve had Luke for three seasons now and this is the best I’ve ever seen him pitch,” said coach Brad Rauch. “In fact, I’ve coached this team for nine years and that may be the best outing I’ve seen as the coach of this team. It’s especially impressive against this team, because they’re undefeated and have some guys who can swing a bat, so that really made his pitching that much more impressive.”

South Parkland (16-0) got to Eitner for another run in the fifth when he walked Webber with one out. Webber then stole second and scored on a single from Michael Morren.

Eitner was matched pitch-for-pitch by Josh Miller, who tossed a complete game and allowed just five hits and two walks, while striking out seven batters. Miller threw 95 pitches over his seven innings of work.

Northern Valley missed an opportunity in the top of the second. Eric Nothstein walked with one out and went to third on a single from Ryan King. Eitner failed to get a bunt down on a safety squeeze, but Nothstein took off for home and got caught in a rundown and was eventually tagged out by third baseman Adam Smith for the second out. With King on second, Eitner then hit a short pop-fly just into foul territory that Smith pulled in for the third out.

“I would like to have that play back, I’m kicking myself for putting that on,” admitted Rauch. “We could have gotten a run or even two in that situation and we came up empty.”

The Chargers had a few more opportunities, including in the third inning when they put runners on first and second with one out. Justin Holmes hit a deep fly ball that moved Owen Schoch to third. Miller then got Nick Henry to fly out to center to end the inning. Northern Valley looked for a two-out rally in the sixth when Henry and Derek Holmes reached base back-to-back, but Miller got a strikeout for the third out of the inning.

Northern Valley now plays in an elimination game against Salisbury Saturday evening at 5:30. The game will be played at Northwestern Lehigh High School, with the losing team eliminated from the LVL playoffs. Salisbury picked up a forfeit win Friday night when Coplay was unable to field a team for their game.

ANYBODY SEE THE UMP?.

.. The game was delayed at the outset because only one of the two assigned umpires showed up for the game. The two teams discussed whether to play with just one umpire. When the decision was made to play with one ump, the second umpire arrived just as the teams were taking the field for the start of the game.

THEN THERE WERE TWO

... The LVL double-elimination tournament is down to two undefeated teams in South Parkland and North Parkland. The two teams meet on Saturday. In addition to Coplay being eliminated when they forfeited, Lower Macungie, who was one of the hotter teams coming into the playoffs, was also eliminated Friday in a 4-3 loss to Emmaus. Emmaus and Carbon will play Saturday in Lehighton.

WRONG GAME, FELLAS

... The local buzzards must have thought this was an elimination game. In the middle innings, three buzzards circled over the field before the trio landed on a light stand in center field to watch an inning of the game.

No. Valley 000 000 0 - 0 5 1

S. Parkland 100 010 x - 2 5 0

Eitner and Rudolph; Miller and Giovenco W - Miller. L. Eitner.