STEUBENVILLE — The Catholic Central baseball team started the day with a big win, and the Crusaders ended it with a big comeback.

Catholic Central tallied 11 runs in the final 2 2/3 innings en route to defeating Trinity Christian, 12-2, in six innings via mercy rule in the opening game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Vaccaro Field.

The Crusaders trailed the Warriors, 9-3, in the bottom of the fourth inning in Game 2 and 13-11 in the seventh before the Crusaders plated three runs in the home half of the inning to rally for an improbable 14-13 victory to sweep the doubleheader from the visitors from Monongalia County.

Game 1 was tied at one going into the bottom of the fourth.

“We started off slow,” Catholic Central (8-1) head coach Don Young said. “We get in our own way at the start. They are a good team, but we kept getting in our own way. Then, we loosened up and started playing ball.”

The Crusaders scored three runs in the fourth, five in the fifth and three in the sixth to bring the game to an end.

“Our bats came a live,” Young said. “It was a fight early in the game, but then the bats came alive. Kody pitched a heck of a game.”

The hosts scored a run in the first to take the early lead, however, the visitors answered with a run in the second. Trinity Christian scored its second run in the sixth.

Kody Carver went the distance and picked up the win for Catholic Central. Carver struck out three and walked three.

Brock Shuba took the loss for the Warriors. He struck out three and walked six in four innings of work. He was replaced during the fifth inning by Ryan Parker. Parker pitched the rest of the way without striking out or walking a batter.

Catholic Central outhit Trinity Christian, 10-3.

Individually, Eli Fayak finished with two singles and three RBI, Daniel Free and Brayden Rauch each delivered two singles and an RBI and Alex Solema tallied a single and three RBI. Also, Jacob Kissinger and Carver each recorded a double and an RBI, Ben Urbanczyk collected a base hit and Andrew Dorsey added an RBI.

Park produced a double and an RBI for the boys in the black uniforms, Thomas Dinkel doubled and Parker Hopkins singled. The Warriors scored their first run on a wild pitch.

“They are a lot like us,” Young said. “They are a real similar team. They are a solid team, but they do not have a lot of depth. We are in the same situation.”

The boys hosts plated three runs in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead before adding five more in the fifth to increase their advantage to 9-1.

“We want to get better every day,” Young said. “he main thing is we want to compete. I was not happy with how we started. We were thinking and not competing. We got better in the second half of the game.”

Catholic Central certainly competed in Game 2 as the Crusaders overcame a six-run deficit.

The Crusaders once again pushed a run across in the first only to see the Warriors answer back with one in the second. The victors responded with a pair in the bottom half of the inning to take a 3-1 lead, but Trinity Christian tied the game with two runs in the third.

After keeping the Crusaders off the board in the fourth, the Warriors scored six runs in the fourth to build a 9-3 advantage.

The locals answered with a run in the home half of the inning to cut their deficit to 9-4. Trinity Christian got the run back in the fifth, but Catholic Central scored three times in the home half of the inning to make the score 10-7.

The Warriors responded with a run in the sixth to take a five-run advantage, but the Crusaders erupted for four runs in their turn to bat knotting the score at 11.

Trinity Christian scored a pair of runs in the seventh to regain the lead, however, Catholic Central was not going to be denied as the Crusaders pushed three runs across to complete the rally and win the game.

Both teams used two pitchers.

Dorsey started for the Crusaders, but he did not factor in the decision. Dorsey struck out four and walked three in 3 1/3innings of work on the mound. Solema replaced him with one out in the fourth, and he ended up picking up the win. Solema who pitched the rest of the way, struck out two and walked two.

Noah Toler took the loss for the Warriors. Toler replaced starter Will McPherson with one out in the sixth. Toler did not record a strikeout or a walk in his one inning of work. McPherson struck out five and walked two in his 5 1/3 innings on the mound.

Catholic Central outhit Trinity Christian, 18-12, in Game 2.

Individually, Kissinger recorded two singles, a triple and two RBI, Urbanczyk collected two singles, a triple and an RBI and Fayak finished with a single, a triple and an RBI. Also, Dorsey and Carver each delivered a single, a double and two RBI, Peyton Rauch produced two singles and an RBI, Free ended up with two base hits and Solema singled.

Catholic Central is scheduled to play Oak Glen at 5 p.m. today at home.

Trinity Christian is slated to play Clay-Battelle at 6 p.m. today on the road.

Game 1

Catholic Central 12, Trinity Christian 2

Trinity Christian 010 001 – 2 3 0

Catholic Central 100 353 – 12 10 1

TRINITY CHRISTIAN (8-6): Shuba LP (4IP, 3K, 6BB), Parker (1 2/3IP, 0K, 0BB) and Hopkins. Hopkins S; Parker D, RBI; Dinkel D.

CATHOLIC CENTRAL (7-1): Carver WP (3K, 3BB) and Dorsey. Dorsey RBI; Solema S, 3RBI; B. Rauch 2S, RBI; Carver D, RBI; Free 2S, RBI; Urbanczyk S; Kissinger D, RBI; Fayak 2S, 3RBI.

Game 2

Catholic Central 14, Trinity Christian 13

Trintiy Christian 012 611 2 – 13 12 2

Catholic Central 120 134 3 – 14 18 4

TRINITY CHRISTIAN (8-7): McPherson ND (5 1/3IP, 5K, 2BB), Toler (1IP, 0K, 0BB) and Parker. Hancox S; Hopkins D, RBI; Timperio S, D, 3RBI; Parker D, HR, 5RBI; Shuba HR, RBI; McPherson 2S; Toler 2S; Bowers S.

CATHOLIC CENTRAL (8-1): Dorsey ND (3 1/3IP, 4K, 3BB), Solema WP (3 2/3IP, 2K, 2BB) and Urbanczyk. Dorsey S, D, 2RBI; Solema S; B. Rauch T, 2RBI; Carver S, D, 2RBI; P. Rauch 2S, RBI; Free 2S; Urbanczyk 2S, T, RBI; Kissinger 2S, T, 2RBI; Fayak S, T, RBI.