Marian’s baseball team appeared to be in prime position for a Schuylkill League Division II postseason spot.

That is until Tuesday — when Nativity pulled off a sobering, come-from-behind 10-8 victory.

It was a crucial loss for the Colts, who controlled their own destiny heading into the matchup. Marian held the trump card in the fight for one of three playoff spots in the division with a 7-3 record, but now falls to 7-4. Schuylkill Haven is all but guaranteed the top seed with a divisional win, while Shenandoah Valley and Minersville are suddenly in the hunt for the remaining two spots.

Nativity entered with a 5-6 record, but played like a contender after an ugly start, falling behind 8-0. The Hilltoppers were rescued by sophomore southpaw Stephen Karinch, who entered in relief and completely changed the tone of the game.

Karinch was sensational, using a sneaky two-seam fastball to set up his diving curveball.

“My fastball was in the zone, and once it was working, I then threw my curve,” Karinch said. “I felt comfortable. I had good spin on the breaking pitch, and my fastball had some pop on it.”

Head coach Ben Krieger echoed those sentiments.

“It’s got some tail, and from the left side, it gives batters a different look,” Krieger said. “He’s got some pop on it, and he looks very confident.”

Confidence was something Nativity lacked early, while Marian looked like a team on a mission.

The Colts stormed out of the gate with six runs on four hits in the bottom of the first, including a booming two-run double by Brayden Grant and singles from Noah Bauder, Alex Diaz and Rocco Griguoli. Marian added two more runs in the second on hits from Cole Jordan, and a Jim Cannon RBI single to take an 8-0 lead.

Though Karinch entered at the start of the second inning, Marian’s offense appeared to still be rolling. But the left-hander quickly settled into a rhythm, keeping the Colts off balance the rest of the way.

“I just wanted to throw strikes and not let them get on base,” said Karinch. “My stuff was working, and I knew if I put it in the right spot, they weren’t going to make contact.”

After Cannon’s single, Marian managed just two hits the rest of the game.

Meanwhile, the Hilltoppers began to chip away. Junior third baseman Ryan Grabowski led the charge with a 4-for-4 performance that included a double.

“I just wanted to put it in play,” said Grabowski. “The last time we played, they did it to us.”

In their previous meeting, Marian scored 10 runs late to win 12-3.

Nativity’s offense heated up with three consecutive three-run rallies, piling up nine hits over that stretch. Tommy Bartashus had three hits, starting pitcher Ryan Examitis drove in two runs with a double and single, and Andrew Verchick added a two-run single.

Trailing 8-6 to start the fifth, Nativity sent seven batters to the plate. The rally included a walk, an error, an RBI single by Karinch, and a two-run single from Nick Wagner to give the Hilltoppers a 9-8 lead. They tacked on an insurance run in the seventh on hits by Mateo Ariaudo and Grabowski before Examitis delivered the game’s final RBI.

“Down 8-nothing, to battle back the way we did — you can’t ask for much more,” Krieger said. “We’ve had some struggles this season, but a win like this shows that we have kids who want to battle until the final out. That’s a darn good team we beat.”

It was a result Marian didn’t expect.

“We had a lead like that and let it get away, and that’s what hurts the most,” said Marian head coach John “Pilsey” Petrilyak. “Their kid came in relief and did a darn good job. He throws a hundred — well, 98 pitches — and he really kept us off balance. He’s impressive.”

BREAKDOWNS ... Marian’s defense faltered at times, with throws to the wrong base and mistakes that allowed runners to advance into scoring position. Petrilyak was quick to acknowledge the miscues.

SOLID AT SHORT ... Marian shortstop Alex Diaz made a pair of standout plays to take away hits and keep the Colts within striking distance.

WHAT’S ON TAP ... Marian has three games remaining in league play — road contests at Schuylkill Haven and Minersville and a home game against Mahanoy Area. The matchup with Minersville could prove pivotal on the final day of the regular season.

Nativity 003 333 1 – 10 15 2

Marian 620 000 0 – 8 8 1

Examitis, Karinch (2) and Bartashus; Jordan, Grier and Larburg. W – Karinch L – Grier.

Records: Nativity (5-10); Marian (8-8)