It was a classic pitchers’ duel - with a lot riding on the outcome.

Tamaqua and Lehighton were both battling to stay within striking distance of first place Blue Mountain in the Schuylkill League Division I standings, as well as battling with the Eagles and Pine Grove for the division’s two playoff spots.

Taking advantage of timely hitting, a few misplays by the Tribe, and a gem of a pitching effort from sophomore Noah Mateyak, Tamaqua held on for a 3-1 decision on Monday.

The result improves the Raiders’ record to 8-4 overall and 5-3 in league play, tying them with Lehighton (8-6, 5-3) for third place in the division, with both teams just a half-game back of second place Pine Grove as the regular season heads into the home stretch.

“The (kids) wanted this one badly,” said successful Tamaqua skipper Jeff Reading, who quickly turned to praising the effort Mateyak. “He had a rough outing his last time out. But he took the ball today and showed he was ready.”

Indeed, the southpaw was more than ready. He allowed just five hits, walked two and struck out five, allowing nary an earned run. He was lifted with one out in the seventh, giving way to senior Lucas Milot, who recorded the final two outs via a strikeout and a ground out.

“My knuckle (curve) and my fastball were both working for me today,” Mateyak said. “I had good command with those two pitches for the most part.”

Mateyak allowed only two Indian base runners through the first four innings. He walked leadoff batter Ian Rarick to open the game, and gave up a single with one out to Austin Greene in the second inning. He then looked like a whiz over the next nine batters, retiring those in order, including back-to-back solid innings in the third and fourth where he threw a total of just 16 pitches.

There was one out when Lehighton’s John Light singled in the fifth inning, Mateyak’s only inning in which he struggled with 27 pitches, and yielded the lone run, that being unearned. After Light singled, he was balked to second and eventually crossed the plate on an error.

Meanwhile, Mateyak’s counterpart, Ian Rarick, was impressive as well. The Lehighton hurler gave up just one earned run, allowed six hits, struck out six and didn’t issue a walk in five innings of work.

Tamaqua struck for the game’s first run in the home first, getting singles by both Mason Ligenza and Wyatt Steigerwalt before a wild pitch eventually brought Ligenza home.

After the Tribe pushed across the tying run in the top of the fifth, Tamaqua came right back with the go-ahead run in bottom of the frame before adding an insurance run in the sixth.

Cion McLaughlin scored the fifth-inning run on Chase Andrews’ infield single. In the sixth, Ligenza hit a booming double and Luke Kane singled him home.

“We’ve been talking a lot about making things happen when we have runners in scoring position,” Reading said, “We talked about making adjustments at the plate, putting the ball in play, and making something happen, and that’s what we did late in the game today.”

Lehighton tried to mount a final-inning comeback when Light ripped a leadoff single. But Mateyak retired the next batter, before Reading summoned Milot to finish the game.

“I thought both starting pitchers really pitched well,” Lehighton manager J.C. Dietz said. “It was a well-pitched game on both sides; it was a shame somebody had to lose.”

ON THE BUMP … Both pitchers were outstanding. Mateyak tossed 92 pitches 71 in the zone. His off-speed pitch dipped and dove down. Rarick went five innings, tossing 89 pitches with 52 in the strike zone.

HITTING IT OFF … Ligenza for Tamaqua, and Light for Lehighton, had multiple hits for their respective teams. Lucas Kamant, Steigerwalt, Andrews and Kane each singled for the Raiders. Noah Brandt, Adam Bastone and Austin Greene all had singles for the Tribe.

CLASS ACT … Not only is Mark Onsuhko one of the best plate umpires in the district, but he is all about the game. He keeps things moving, and is concerned with the safety of the players. It showed several times when catchers were taking hit, from foul balls.

Lehighton 000 001 0 - 1 5 1

Tamaqua 100 011 x - 3 6 2

I. Rarick, Albert (6) and Light; Mateyak, Milot (7) and Kane. W - Mateyak. L - I. Rarick.