St. Marys’ Cali Masters looks in for the sign against Wheeling Central during Tuesday’s regional tournament game. Central won, 2-1. (Photo by Aaron Lee)

ST. MARYS – In game one of the best-of-three regional championship series between St. Marys and Wheeling Central, Blue Devils’ pitcher Cali Masters threw a no-hitter en route to a 3-0 victory against the Maroon Knights. Game two was also a well-pitched affair, but this time St. Marys fell to Central by a final of 2-1, forcing a winner-takes-all game three in Wheeling on Wednesday.

After Central went out in order to start the game, the Blue Devils scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the first frame. Breanna Price was walked, and then stole second to get into scoring position. She then made it to third via a Knight’s error on the tag attempt at second.

Price was brought home on a Masters sac fly to give St. Marys a 1-0 lead.

Wheeling Central responded in the top of the second, scoring the only other runs of the game. A walk by Erin Maxwell combined with a double from Trina Baker gave the Maroon Knights two runners in scoring position. Both were brought home on an error to give Central a 2-1 lead that it would never give up.

While the Blue Devils did not score for the remainder of the contest, they got close in both of the final two innings.

St. Marys’ Zoey Winland (20) takes a swing against Wheeling Central during Tuesday’s regional tournament game. Central won, 2-1. (Photo by Aaron Lee)

In the bottom of the sixth, Price hit a one out bunt single to get aboard. She then stole second and advanced to third on a ball put in play by Zoey Winland. However, she was unable to make it home before Wheeling Central’s Josie Frizzell ended the inning with a strikeout.

St. Marys’ Ava Giovinazzo hit a line drive single through the gap between second and third to lead off in the seventh inning. Giovinazzo was eventually caught stealing second, and the Blue Devils were unable to tie things up or take the lead in their last set of at bats.

The pitchers for both sides were lights out, giving up just two hits through seven innings. Masters struck out 11 batters and walked two. Frizzell recorded eight strikeouts and walked four batters.

St. Marys head coach Lacy Riggs described the team’s struggles offensively, “We didn’t come through a couple of times when we needed to. Just routine things. We hit the ball well tonight, but we hit right at ’em. We need to work a little more ground balls, force some errors. I’m proud of the kids.”

She discussed the impact of Masters and Frizzell on the game, “It’s a pitchers duel. Just one or two little hits, that’s all it takes in a game like this with the great pitching that we had.”

St. Marys center fielder Ella Bullman tracks down a fly ball against Wheeling Central during Tuesday’s regional tournament game. Central won, 2-1. (Photo by Aaron Lee)

With everything on the line in game three against the Maroon Knights on Wednesday, Riggs concluded, “Our backs are against the wall now, and we gotta come out and work well under pressure tomorrow night… We just have to go take care of business.”

Contact Aaron Lee at alee@newsandsentinel.com