Neither Rennie Troggio nor Ryan Black had been on the field for a Harrison baseball victory over McCutcheon.
The Raider infielders sensed their teammates' motivation to end that streak building all day.
"Right when we got here after school, we were all pumped up, because we love playing McCutcheon," said Troggio, a senior. "Even during warm-ups, we stepped it up a little bit, because we knew it was a big game."
It took eight innings, but Harrison broke a pair of McCutcheon winning streaks. Black doubled to lead off the bottom of the eighth and scored on Patrick Alkire's bases-loaded ground out to give the Raiders a 4-3 home victory.
Cory Woolard earned the victory with three scoreless innings in relief of Austin Schutter. Harrison (4-8, 3-5 Hoosier Crossroads Conference), which broke McCutcheon's five-game winning streak, hadn't beaten their rivals since the 2006 Class 4A Lafayette Jeff Sectional opener.
"It's just a great win for the whole team," said Black, who went 2-for-4 and scored twice. "It's always so sweet to beat a county rival like that."
Levi Evans doubled leading off the top of the eighth for McCutcheon (8-6, 4-3). That was the only runner allowed by Woolard, who recorded a strikeout, a pop out and a groundout to get out of the inning.
Including five innings against Schutter, who overcame a popped blister on his throwing hand, the Mavericks stranded eight runners, including five in scoring position.
"If we do some situational hitting -- a strikeout doesn't help us, a pop-up doesn't help us," McCutcheon coach Jake Burton said of the top of the eighth.
"We need a ground ball to the other side to move the guy to third and put a little pressure on them."
McCutcheon starter Nick Wittgren (2-3) pitched nine innings in a victory over Jeff on Saturday.
He allowed four hits over seven innings Wednesday before Black doubled on a 2-0 pitch leading off the eighth.
The Mavericks walked Troggio intentionally before Tyler Dunk's sacrifice bunt attempt rolled past the mound for a single that loaded the bases.
Alkire chopped the first pitch he saw to the right side, but McCutcheon second baseman Chas Price had no chance to throw Black out at home.
"When Woolard got those three guys out, we knew we were going to come up and win that game," said Troggio, who went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
"That's what we were talking about right here in front of the dugout. We wanted to win right there, and we did it."
Harrison led 2-0 before McCutcheon senior Montana Timmons keyed a three-run fifth inning with a two-out, two-run single.
Troggio's game-tying, two-out single in the bottom of the inning scored freshman Nick Bartolone.
Woolard entered in the top of the sixth and set a tone by striking out the first two Mavericks he faced.
"Every time he's pitched this year, he's so focused," Harrison coach Brent Harmon said of Woolard. "... He's done an awesome job for us this year."
By Jamie Lynn Chevillet/ Journal & Courier-- Harrison's Rennie Troggio connects with the ball in the game against McCutcheon at Harrison High School on Wednesday, April 29, 2009.
By Jamie Lynn Chevillet/ Journal & Courier-- Harrison's Rennie Troggio throws the ball to first in the game against McCutcheon at Harrison High School on Wednesday, April 29, 2009.
By Jamie Lynn Chevillet/ Journal & Courier-- Harrison Nick Bartolone runs to home plate and scores in the game against McCutcheon in West Lafayette on Wednesday, April 29, 2009.
By Jamie Lynn Chevillet/ Journal & Courier-- Harrison's Cory Woolard pitched toward the end of the game against McCutcheon in West Lafayette on Wednesday, April 29, 2009.
Special thanks to both Nathan Baird and Jamie Lynn Chevillet of the Lafayette Journal & Courier for allowing us to post their outstanding work here on RaiderUp!.
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