Westminster Christian reliever JT Stoll proved less adept Tuesday at escaping trouble unscathed than teammate Nathen Martinez.
In the end, all that mattered to Stoll and the Warriors was the high fly ball to left field he coaxed for the final out.
Westminster Christian rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning and hung on behind Stoll to beat rival Harvest Christian 8-7 for a significant Northeastern Athletic Conference victory.
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“The first inning I pitched I definitely didn’t come out as strong as I should have, and we had some plays to give them a few runs,” Stoll said. “After we rallied, I came out with more confidence.
“And we played better defensively then to come out with the ‘W.'”
The win by Westminster (11-4, 9-2) came on the heels of Monday’s 9-6 victory over Elgin Academy.
Harvest (15-4, 6-1) and Elgin Academy have spent much of the season as potential top seeds in area Class 1A regionals, but now the Warriors must be taken seriously as well.
“We like like to keep our mouth quiet and let the playing do all the talking,” Martinez said.
It was Stoll, a junior right-hander, who finished for the save Monday over Elgin Academy.
Stoll was on the mound again Tuesday in the sixth after Martinez left with a 5-1 lead. But he allowed a five-run inning, keyed by Joey Pepper’s two-run double.
Rejuventated with an 8-6 lead in the seventh, Stoll allowed a two-out solo homer by Dayne Frederick.
“There were two outs after the home run,” Stoll said. “I was just thinking one more out and we’re out of here. That’s what kept me going.”
Stoll escaped with the victory by getting Drew Lewis to hit a high fly to Sam Huguley.
Earlier, Westminster starter Martinez stranded nine and allowed only one run before leaving due to the pitch-count rule.
“Nathen has been real good for us all year,” first-year Westminster coach Luke Rojas said. “His last outing he struck out 14, and we’ve relied on him in big wins all year.
“He’s only started three times, but he’ll most likely start the rest of the year.”
Martinez also had a two-run double in the fifth. Stoll finished with two hits and two RBIs.
Westminster came back for the winning run in the bottom of the sixth. A liner to right was misplayed for a two-run error to break the 6-6 tie, after No. 9 hitter Luis Aguinaga delivered a game-tying RBI double with two outs.
Harvest Christian received three hits and two RBIs from Frederick.
“One game doesn’t make a season,” Harvest coach Jeffrey Halter said. “It gives us our first conference loss, but overall we’re fine.
“Now we learn what the word ‘Teflon’ is. We go home and give ourselves a coat of it and come right back.”
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