Against Bloomsburg last Wednesday, Warrior Run exploded for seven runs in the sixth inning to go from trailing by two to winning by five. Against South Williamsport a day later, another seven-run sixth inning put the Defenders up three on the way to an 8-5 win.

Monday night against Southern Columbia, they did it again, notching four runs in the fourth to break a 1-0 deficit and roll to a 4-1 victory over the Tigers for their eighth-straight win.

“I call these guys the cardiac kids lately. I swear they do it on purpose, they like to mess with my heart,” Warrior Run head coach Derrick Zechman said. “But I’m really proud of the effort and proud of the fight to find a way to win. That’s a good ball team over there, and it’s a big win for us.”

While the Defenders needed a late-game surge to take the victory, Southern also struggled at the plate early behind a stellar performance from Griffen Harrington on the mound.

CJ DOEBLER/Special to the Sun-Gazette Warrior Run's Cohen Zechman looks to take off from second against Southern on Monday.

While he finished the day with ten strikeouts and two walks in six innings pitched, he carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning before Southern pitcher Andrew Novak singled and eventually scored for the Tigers’ only run of the day.

It became clear very quickly that Monday’s outcome would hinge on the pitchers, but Harrington said he just stayed the course.

“I didn’t even know (they had no hits heading into the fourth), the guys know not to talk about that around me during the game,” Harrington said. “I knew that I was in a groove and I was fired up because that’s a scrappy team. I know some of the guys on that team, and we lost a big one to them early in the year, so there was no better moment than going out there and being able to put the team on your back.”

But behind Harrington was a defense that made plays, too. Before Southern finally broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth, Colton Ritenour tracked down a ball on the warning track for an athletic out, keeping the Tigers off base. Novak connected on a groundball to right on the next at-bat, and Kaden Zachman drove him home with a double to left.

“You just have to keep battling and hope you can break through eventually,” Southern Columbia head coach Mike Myers said. “They made some outstanding defensive plays, but we just have to regroup and I think we’ll be fine.”

While Southern was held hitless through three innings, Warrior Run had just one entering the sixth after Andrew Novak struck out four and walked six.

“I was really proud of Andrew Novak today,” Myers said. “He went out there and shoved it across and really gave us a good chance to win.”

That all changed in the bottom half of the inning as Harrington reached base with a line drive to left before an error put Jackson Bowers aboard and Tyler Ulrich was walked to load the bases. Enter Ritenour.

Batting eighth in the lineup, the senior took a strike before launching a ball to the left field fence, clearing the bases and reaching second to put the Defenders up 3-1 with a three-RBI double. Logan Stevenson sent the ball towards left again, scoring Ritenour and reaching first before the inning ended.

“It wasn’t really nerve-wracking because I knew I had my teammates with me,” Ritenour said. “I knew Logan was right behind me and even if I struck out, he’d drive them in. One thing about this team is I’ve never felt alone out there.”

That atmosphere resonated with Harrington, too, and both players said they’d never had more fun playing baseball than they have over the past few games.

“We’re passionate about this and we don’t ever quit,” Harrington said. “We’re more together than ever right now and beating a quality opponent on a cold day like this is huge for us.”

Even while strengthening their identity in the midst of an eight-game win streak, Zechman isn’t looking too far into the future.

And while a faster start might lessen the stress, a win is a win.

“We obviously hope to keep the winning streak going, but we have to keep our guns up because it’s really any given night in this league,” Zechman said. “Anything can happen in baseball, but the momentum and the confidence is going through the team and I feel we’re in a pretty decent spot.”

Warrior Run 4, Southern Columbia 1

Southern 000 100 0 — 1 5 1

Warrior Run 000 004 x — 4 42

Novak, Andrews (6) and Richard. Harrington, Keifer (7) and Tillson. W: Harrington. L: Novak.

Top Southern Columbia hitters: Andrew Novak 2-3, run; Kaden Zachman 1-3, RBI; Kole Myers 1-4; Ayden Hockenbroch 1-3. Top Warrior Run hitters: Colton Ritenour 1-3, run, 3 RBIs; Tyler Ulrich 1-2, run; Logan Stevenson 1-3, RBI; Griffen Harrington 1-3.