Crossover games haven’t gone well for Schuylkill League Division 3 baseball teams.

Division 2 teams have definitely held the edge in head-to-head matchups this season, that is until Wednesday.

Panther Valley reversed that trend with an impressive victory against a very good Schuylkill Haven club.

Cracking out 13 hits, which included six doubles, the Panthers let loose with their free-swinging attack to beat the visiting Hurricanes 7-3.

In the process, the Panthers took control of the divisional race, opening up a two-game lead over Shenandoah.

Panther Valley improved to 12-3 overall, and 6-2 in league play. Meanwhile, the second-place Blue Devils lost to Williams Valley to fall to 4-4.

“They’re a tough team,” said Panther Valley manager Rich Evanko about Schuylkill Haven. “We had lost to Division 2 teams Williams Valley and Tri-Valley earlier this season, so this was a big game for us.”

While the Panther offense has plenty of bang against Haven, the highlight of the victory was the terrific pitching performance of Derek Pavlik.

Using a commanding fastball, Pavlik sent 13 batters down swinging or looking. He was at the top of his game, and one could sense it from the onset. The right-hander allowed only six hits, before yielding to Stephen Hood in the top of the seventh after reaching 102 pitches.

“I was feeling it a little more, I don’t know why,” Pavlik said when asked about the pop on his fastball. “I had good control of the off speed pitches too. I kept them guessing … that was a factor too. I was able to keep them guessing so they couldn’t figure out what was coming next.”

Panther Valley’s offense gave Pavlik plenty of support.

PV took a 1-0 lead in the home second when Brad Hood doubled home Chase Weaver. It was part of a huge day for Hood, who had a pair of doubles and drove in three runs.

Rich Evanko made a tweak in the batting order. He bumped Pavlik to the leadoff spot, dropped Jimmy Byers in the two hole and had Brad Hood hitting eight.

“We changed some things up, juggled the lineup,” Evanko said. “We wanted Brad to get (his swing) back, and felt by battling him eighth, he wouldn’t press as much, which he was doing.”

That move paid dividends. After the first double which hugged the right field line, Hood did it again in the exact same spot in the third for two RBIs. It was part of a four-run inning for the Panthers that gave them a 5-1 lead.

Mike Pascoe, who was off-the-wall hot with three hits, started the big Panther third inning with a single. Stephen Hood then doubled, and Cody Orsulak walked to load the bases for designated hitter Hayden Goida, who lashed out a run- scoring single. Brad Hood followed with his two-bagger, and then a Haven error allowed another runner to score.

Panther Valley added two more runs in the fourth when Byers greeted relief pitcher Cole Canfield with a hit, Pascoe singled, and Stephen Hood picked up an RBI single making it 6-1. Goida brought in the next runner on a sacrifice.

The Hurricanes scored twice in the fifth, but Pavlik worked himself out of further trouble with a couple of key strikeouts.

“All I can say, we had chances if we put the ball in play,” said longtime Haven skipper Scott Buffington. “Strikeout 14 times, you are not going to win often. But give a lot of credit to their pitcher, he kept pounding the zone.”

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE … Pascoe and Brad Hood had two doubles apiece for the Panthers, while Byers and Orsulak each with one.

LET ME COUNT THE WAYS … Pavlik tossed 102 pitches, including 70 for strikes before leaving the game after walking the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the seventh. Stephen Hood finished the game. After walking a batter, he induced two fly outs and then got a game-ending strikeout.

Sch. Haven 001 020 0 – 3 6 1

Panther Vy. 014 200 x – 7 13 0

Houtz, Canfield (4) and Pothering; Pavlik, S. Hood (7) and Orsulak. W- Pavlik L – Houtz