BASEBALL | Trent Barstow strikes out 10 in Norwayne's win over Waynedale

CRESTON — Tuesday wasn't just another game for Trent Barstow and his Norwayne teammates.

It was the series opener against Waynedale — the program that's dominated the Wayne County Athletic League for the past five seasons. None of the Bobcats on the field had ever beat the Golden Bears in a varsity baseball game.

That meant Norwayne wanted this one a little extra. And Barstow and fellow senior Jed Hanzie made sure they got it.

Barstow struck out 10 over six scoreless innings to outduel Waynedale ace Trey Barkman, and Hanzie scored the go-ahead run and belted the Norwayne's only hit in a 2-0 win.

"I don't even know if he had his best game tonight," Norwayne coach Blake Bellman said of Barstow. "But he competed. He gave it all he had. He competed, he competed, he competed. We made some plays behind him tonight and it was a good team win."

Not only did the victory prove to be a breakthrough for a Norwayne team that's off to a 5-1 start, but it tied the Bobcats with the Bears atop the league standings. For a program looking to take the next step, that's a big deal. Winning a WCAL title is at the top of Norwayne's wish list for the 2022 season, and Tuesday's win was a big step in that direction.

"Our No. 1 goal is to win the league before we move on to the playoffs," Hanzie said. "We want the league more than anything else right now."

There's still plenty of season left to play — along with a deep league with five teams at .500 in or better in conference play after Tuesday's slate — but Norwayne's win was essential if it wants to achieve its goal. The Bobcats have won three WCAL games in row after dropping one to Hillsdale during the season's opening week.

Barstow continued proving himself as one of the area's top pitchers, even on a day where he didn't have his best stuff. Despite walking seven batters, Barstow didn't allow a run, working himself out of several jams.

None of those moments were bigger than what Barstow and the Bobcats did in the top of the third inning. After Josiah Raber reached base with a leadoff walk, Jay Mast doubled to left field, giving the Bears two runners in scoring position with no outs.

Barstow struck out the next batter before shortstop Jake Gill fielded a ground ball and checked the runners before completing the 6-3 putout. Barstow finished off the inning with another strikeout, keeping the zero on the scoreboard.

While Barstow's fastball can overpower batters, his ability to mix it up baffled Waynedale hitters all day.

"Shoutout to (Barstow)," Barkman said. "He was a stud. He owned us. ... He mixed it up well. One time he threw a 3-0 slider to our best hitter. You don't really expect that."

So far this season, Barstow is 3-0 with a 0.37 earned run average and 31 strikeouts.

"I've definitely gained some velocity and a lot of command," Barstow said of his improvement as a senior.

Meanwhile, Hanzie also gave the Bobcats the timely baserunning and hitting needed to pull off the win.

After walking in the fifth, Hanzie advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a ground out. Getting to third allowed Hanzie to get home on a passed ball to unknot a 0-0 tie.

"I'm watching that ball out of the hand (of the pitcher), and once I see saw it, I was like, 'Finally, we got our break,'" Hanzie said of the passed ball. "Once we got our break, we were able to take control a little bit."

In the next inning, Hanzie hit a line drive to left field to drive in Jake Gill to score another run. It was the only hit Barkman allowed all game. Hanzie and Mike Steingass each pitched in the seventh to finish off the shutout for Norwayne.

Barkman struck out six batters over six innings for the Bears. Mast led Waynedale with a pair of hits — both doubles.

"Not very often does a pitcher give up one hit and get the loss," said Waynedale assistant coach Joe Gilmore, who filled in for head coach Lucas Daugherty (out due to a family emergency). "Barkman did a heck of a job out there. ...

"These are the type of games you want to see. Two top teams in the league, the No. 1 versus the No. 1 should be a dog fight."

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Baseball: Norwayne picks up pivotal WCAL win over Waynedale