ST. MARYS — On Monday, Bradford baseball coach Andy Carlson said the goal for yesterday’s playoff game at St. Marys was to score more runs than the other guys.

Mission accomplished.

The Owls managed to cross the plate one more time than the Dutch on Tuesday evening, as Bradford won 3-2 to advance to the D-9 Class AAAA baseball championship game.

“We scored one more run than they did, and that’s our only goal,” Carlson said after the game with a smile on his face.

Yesterday marked the fourth time this season the two schools faced one another. Bradford’s victory evened the series at two apiece, and featured another close score: the four games were decided by a total of just eight runs.

As has been their calling card in recent weeks, the Owls scored the game’s first runs in the first inning, with two outs no less.

Jack Pecora got things going with a perfectly-placed ball down the first base line that resulted in a standup triple. Pecora was himself driven home on an RBI single by Peyton Manion to give Bradford a quick 2-0 lead.

The Dutch would answer right back, however. After loading the bases with one out, a sacrifice fly to left field by Hayden Tettis brought it Michael Beimel.

But Bradford starter Dan Manion was able to get out of the inning with just the one run scoring, which proved to huge moving forward. Carlson had noted how at times this season the Owls hadn’t gotten enough run support later in close in games.

“We got on them early,” Carlson said. “We’ve scored early on a lot of teams and never added. Well, we added one run and I guess that was enough.”

That run wouldn’t come for a while, though, as both Dan Manion and Beimel settled into their respective grooves over the next few innings. One only had to glance at the scoreboard and see how many zeroes there were.

Both starters got some strong play from the guys in the field behind them as well.

In the bottom of the third, Bradford backstop Caleb Nuzzo came up firing with a tremendous throw that nabbed a would-be base stealer who represented the tying run.

“When our defense is solid, our pitchers are really good,” Carlson said. “They throw strikes, and when our defense is solid, those two things go together. Typically when we’re throwing the balls, the defense is more lax, we make some errors, and it gets a little rough out there. It was a clean game and our guys played hard and that’s all you can ask for.

St. Marys catcher Aaron Piccolo had a nice play himself in the top of the fifth, as he was able to hold onto a throw from shortstop that prevented a Bradford runner from scoring and padding the lead.

In the sixth inning, the Owls finally got the all-important insurance run.

Dan Manion started the frame with a base hit to center field that ended with the junior standing on third after a pair of defensive miscues by the Dutch. After a strikeout and a walk, Kyle Kirk hit a little infield bleeder that gave the St. Marys second baseman fits, allowing pinch-runner Adam Boyer to score his second run of the game and put the Owls up 3-1.

St. Marys would give Bradford one last scare in its final go at the plate. Brendon Rolley got on base with a single, then was subsequently driven in on an RBI single by Tim Beimel to cut the deficit to one.

With two men out and the tying run on second base, the Dutch looked like they might be able to pull off the comeback. But Manion had other plans, inducing a high, deep flyout to right field that ended the game.

Manion finished the game with five strikeouts and just one walk allowed. Both Peyton Manion and Thomas Guay notched two base hits.

The Owls will have some time to enjoy the victory. The District Championship is scheduled for some time next week when Bradford will play the winner of today’s contest between Clearfield and Punxsutawney at a site to be determined.

For a team that’s riding high on momentum like Bradford is at the moment, it isn’t easy to have to stand idle for such a long time.

“When you play baseball, you definitely want to play tomorrow, especially when things are going good,” Carlson conceded. “But this gives a chance to get ready. Everybody else is probably going to have the layoff.”

For right now, though, Bradford will be content to bask in the glow of a well-earned victory.

“We’ll just chill out, get ready to play and try to win the next one,” Carlson said.

At ST. MARYS

 R H E

Bradford    200 001 0    3 6 2

St. Marys   100 000 1    2 6 4

Dan Manion (5 SO, 1 BB), and Caleb Nuzzo

Michael Beimel (6 SO, 2 BB), and Aaron Piccolo