No one watching the Tamaqua-Lehighton baseball game Friday afternoon could see the eruption on the horizon.

Why?

Because the way the two starting pitchers began this Schuylkill League Division I baseball matchup began, there was nary a thought of hitters getting the upper hand.

Those thoughts began to change in the fourth inning, however, and as dusk was trying to make its way in, the Indians found just the right combination of hitting, defense and relief pitching to stave off the Blue Raiders, 9-6.

One could feel that Tamaqua was building momentum in the home fourth. The Raiders had just tied the game at 3-3 on a single by Lucas Kanmant and were about to take the lead as Chase Andrews came steaming around third base and heading home.

But Lehighton centerfielder Ian Rarick had other plans. Rarick cranked up a huge throw and catcher Tyler Poole had a text-book block of home plate and applied the tag on Andrews.

“If that doesn’t happen, we were in trouble. That just stopped their momentum,” said Lehighton manager J.C.Dietz.

The visitors had just come off a three-run rally against freshman left-handed pitcher Mason Ligenza to forge a 3-2 lead. Lehighton managed just one hit in the rally - a Brady O’Donnell RBI single - but benefited from a couple Tamaqua miscues.

“We’re learning and we’re just not sure of things,” said Tamaqua skipper Jeff Reading. “We don’t have a senior starter in the lineup, we go out and do things right for a few innings, then we break down.”

Before Lehighton’s runs were posted, Tamaqua used three singles, one each by Luke Kane, Timmy Fritzinger and Gianni Valentine. That quick strike sent Tamaqua up 2-0.

However, Lehighton retooled its offensive approach to take the lead in the top half of the fourth inning.

“I thought we came up with some big two out hits. Brady O’Donnell’s two-out single got things rolling for us in the fourth,” said Dietz.

Meanwhile, Ligenza and Lehighton’s starting pitcher Carter Birnbaum, were tussling on their respective bumps. Ligenza was in a solid rhythm after allowing the first two batters in the game to reach base, retiring eight straight would-be hitters effortlessly.

Birnbaum was touched for two runs on three hits in the second, before setting down the next six batters in order.

Then the fireworks would start to explode on both ends.

The Tribe scorched the Blue Raiders for four runs in the sixth and two in the seventh. Lehighton took advantage of two walks, two hits and an error to jump in front for keeps. Birnbaum singled in the first rally, and Rarick also hit safely to drive in a run.

But the Raiders came oh so close to getting the equalizer home as they rallied for three runs in the home sixth, sending nine batters to the plate. Cooper Ansbach, Andrews, and Kamant each singled, while Wyatt Steigerwalt’s double helped to close the gap, 7-6.

“They really came right back with a gutty rally,” Dietz said lauding the Raiders. “But our kids just hung in there. I thought both pitchers pitched well. Our concern is that we haven’t been getting the clutch hits when we needed them.”

But the Tribe answered right back in the seventh, scoring two big runs to once again open some breathing room. Austin Greene’s run scoring double was the big blow.

The Indians then called on hard throwing Tailer Sensinger to preserve the lead in the bottom of the inning. Sensinger did just that, helping the Indians stop a four-game losing streak.

BY THE NUMBERS … Both sides were equal in the hitting department with 11 and both had one extra-base blow. Birnbaum had three hits to pace the Indians. Valentine led Tamaqua with three hits, teammate Fritzinger collected a pair of hits.

ON THE BUMP … Birnbaum worked 5.1 innings. He tossed 79 pitches 53 for strikes. Ligenza went four full and had 73 pitches 42 in the zone.

Lehighton 000 304 2 - 9 11 1

Tamaqua 020 103 0 - 6 11 3

Birnbaum, Keiser (6), Sensinger (6) and Poole; Ligenza, Fritzinger (5), Steigerwalt (5) and Kane. W - Birnbaum. L - Fritzinger .