The rain clouds opened, and a torrent of water came flowing from the sky. Under normal circumstances, a youth baseball game would have been halted.

But Tamaqua Little League is a different ball game. Bill Angst, the long time league president, made sure of that over a decade ago.

Using a “big league-type” of tarp, and a volunteer grounds crew, the field was covered during the entirety of the 35-minute rain delay.

When played resumed, Tamaqua was a double winner.

Not only was the field was fine, but the town’s 12-year-old Little League were able to close out a 1-0 victory over Jim Thorpe.

That win propels Tamaqua into the loser’s bracket final of District 18’s double-elimination tournament, where it will face Valley East on Thursday in Drums. Valley East lost in the winner’s bracket final to rival Valley West last night.

When Logan Dieter doubled in the home-half of the first inning, and eventually crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice groundout by starting and winning pitcher Jake Yenser, little did anyone realize that it would be the game’s only run.

The Raiders made that stand up with a pair of tough pitching performances as Yenser and Gaven Hess - who came on in the top of the fifth - never let Thorpe get on the scoreboard.

“They managed to get that one run, and we just couldn’t get that break we needed to tie it up … maybe an error or wild pitch,” said Jim Thorpe coach Eric Schrantz. “They pitched very well and made that run stand up.”

Jim Thorpe did have its chances.

In the first, Brody Schrantz, the coaches’ son, buried a double to left center, but was stranded when Yenser got a comebacker to the mound quelling the potential threat.

Yenser really put his nose to the grindstone in the second. Tyler Hoherchak led off the inning with a single and Caleb Kosko walked with no outs. However, Yenser answered with three straight strikeouts to get out of trouble.

Thorpe threatened again in the third when Kade Levan singled and Frantz walked. But Yenser responded, getting a pop up, and two groundouts.

“Our pitching has been effective, and our defense makes plays,” said Tamaqua coach Brian Yenser. “That has been a big part of why we are still playing.”

In the bottom of the third, Hess slammed a two-out double, and Yenser drew a walk. But Thorpe pitcher Zack Murphy got a huge defensive play from first baseman Nate Frantz, who snared a line drive to end the rally.

Thorpe was back at it again brewing up a potential storm off of Hess in the fifth. Consecutive hits from Levan and Frantz put runners at second and third. But they never moved up any further as Hess got a liner for an out, a pop up and a strikeout.

There was one out in the sixth when play was suspended by rain and thunder, but the tarp saved the day, and when the contest resumed Hess got the final outs.

THE HITS ... Tamaqua had four hits in the game, with Dieter leading the way with a single and a double. Hess and Brody Schlier added singles. Thorpe had five hits, including two singles from leadoff hitter Levan. Schrantz added a double, while Frantz and Hoherchak chipped in singles.

THE DEFENSE … Both teams made some superb plays in the field. Thorpe’s Kosko made an outstanding play in shallow right on a pop up to ward off a chance for another run by the Tams in the first. Frantz also had a pair of web gems at first base. Ditto for the Raiders’ shortstop Lucas Franko.

Jim Thorpe 000 000 0 45 1

Tamaqua 100 00X – 1 4 1

Murphy, Hoherchak (5) and Levan; Yenser, Hess (5) and Witkowski, Dieter (4). W – Yenser L – Murphy.