In the rivalry that is Marian and Panther Valley, Round One this season goes to the Panthers.

With rain looming over the diamond, the Hood brothers - Brad and Stephen - made quick work of Tuesday’s contest, needing less than 90 minutes to carve out a 3-0 Schuylkill League victory.

It was the Division 3 opener for both clubs. PV’s triumph boosted its record to 3-1, while the Colts sport the same mark after suffering their first loss of the season.

Brad Hood took care of Marian’s potent offense (the Colts had scored 41 runs in their first three games), nearly delivering a no-hitter. While he kept the Marian bats in check, Stephen Hood supplied timely hitting for PV.

“It was amazing (watching him),” Stephen said about his brother’s effort on the mound. “We were waiting for the (after-game) celebration.”

Brad was nearing a no-no until Jake Bobish - Marian’s starting pitcher who was also stellar on the mound - laced a single to left center in the top of the seventh inning to spoil the bid.

“I really had every pitch going - all of them,” said Brad. “I was able to locate all four (fastball, curve, slider and change up) of them.”

The Panther hurler walked five in the game, but also struck out 10.

“Bradley did an awesome job on the mound,” said Panther Valley skipper Rich Evanko. “He almost got himself in trouble late in the game, he went deep in counts … he’d start off 2-0, 3-0. Next thing you know, he has 90 pitches.”

Hood, a righty, breezed through the first frame with only 10 pitches, then the count went up to 18 and 17 in back-to-back innings. He would get to the seventh with 89 pitches, before finishing the contest with 103.

“Brad is one of the best pitchers in the Schuylkill League and District 11,” said Marian head coach Tony Radocha. “He had us off balance … our (patience) wasn’t the best, but give (Hood) all the credit in the world. He pitched a heck of a game.”

Ditto for Bobish.

The Colts’ starter was chucking heat, as well as off-speed offerings. He allowed six hits, two of which were doubles, whiffed five and had superb command with only one walk. Bobish threw a total of 77 pitches in six innings, 50 of which were in the zone.

PV got to Bobish early, though, plating two runs in the opening inning. Chase Weaver singled and stole second. A sacrifice bunt by Hayden Goida moved Weaver to third, and Mike Pascoe worked the only walk Bobish would allow.

Stephen Hood played it by the book, waiting for Pascoe to swipe second before launching a double to dead center to plate both runners.

“I knew (Mike) was going to steal (second), so I just waited for him,” Stephen said about the table being set for his key hit.

The Panther bats cooled, however, to a near-deafening silence. Bobish dug in and the only threat from PV came out of the nine hole where Trey McAndrew stroked a double and a single in both of his at bats.

Bobish got on a hot streak, retiring eight straight, and except for another McAndrew hit in the home fifth, the Panthers were held in check.

In the sixth, though, Panther Valley added some insurance. Pascoe reached on a one-out single and moved to third on another Stephen Hood double. A balk forced in Pascoe to up PV’s advantage to 3-0.

“He pounded the zone,” Radocha said of his pitcher. “They got their bats on the ball in that first; other than that, we played pretty good defense (behind him).”

Despite the victory, Evanko isn’t letting his squad rest on its potential laurels.

“We’re in a bit of a funk right now,” he about his team’s hitting attack. “We’ll come out of it. As long as we stay in the game, and get the quality pitching, we will be alright.”

ON THE BASES … Brian Hinkle was the lone Marian runner to advance to second base. That came in the third inning when Hood issued two straight walks.

ON THE BUMP … Hood set down five straight hitters from the end of the third to the top of the fifth before he walked Andrew Baran.

FLAWLESS … It’s not often there are no errors in a high school game. But such was the case for the two teams. The catchers were also stellar as PV’s Cody Orsulak is one of the best in the area, while Joe Walko was terrific for Marian.

WAYWARD WINDS … Marian right fielder Matt Martin did a terrific job shagging flies coming off inside-out swings from right-handed batters. Both center fielders - PV’s Ty Black and the Colts’ Hinkle - were tested as well.

Marian 000 000 0 - 0 1 0

Panther Valley 200 001 x - 3 6 0

Bobish and Welko; B. Hood and Orsulak. W - B. Hood L - Bobish.