“I honestly didn’t think he got enough of it,” Warrior Run coach Derrick Zechman said. The ball was carrying, but I thought it would die out there. When it went over, that was a big pick‒me‒up for everybody.”

Harrington wasn’t finished. The senior took the ball and shut out the Trojans over the final 2 2/3 innings, slamming the door on fifth-seeded Troy while the Defenders added an insurance run in the sixth to punch their ticket to the semifinals with a 6-3 victory.

James Keifer battled through a laboring 30‒pitch first inning, loading the bases on a walk, single and hit batter. He limited the damage to a two‒run single by Trey Teribury, then froze Pryor Teribury with a curveball to end the frame.

From there, Keifer settled in, giving Warrior Run the stability it needed while the offense made Troy starter Reed Palmer work through a 22‒pitch bottom half.

CHRISTA CONFAIR/Special to the Sun-Gazette Warrior Run's James Keifer throws in the second inning against Troy.

“James threw at least 30 pitches in that first inning. But he’s been a bulldog for us all season,” Zechman said. “How he settled in after that was huge. He was grooving.”

The No. 4 Defenders (16-5) scratched across their first run on a chopper to third by Keifer, scoring Collin Brandt after Harrington had nearly tied the game with a double off the top of the wall in dead center.

Troy (14-7) pushed across an unearned run in the third when Mason Smith reached on an error, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on another. Both sides then traded quick innings until the bottom of the fifth.

After Keifer recorded the first out of the inning, coach Zechman turned to Harrington, who needed only two batters to finish the frame — a strikeout and a routine grounder to short — keeping the deficit at 3-1 and setting the stage for the breakthrough.

“We made the decision to pull (Keifer) not because he wasn’t pitching well, but to keep him in play for Friday,” Zechman said. “With Griff coming in behind him and some other arms ready, I felt good about that move, and it worked out.”

CHRISTA CONFAIR/Special to the Sun-Gazette Warrior Run's Cohen Zechman throws to first base.

Harrington picked up the win in relief and needed just 37 pitches, including 24 for strikes.

“Griff was really good. Some of those innings, he was working fast and attacking,” Zechman said. “Not beating yourself is the key — walks hurt you, and earlier we didn’t take advantage of the ones we got. But that big inning changed everything.”

Cohen Zechman lined a single to right with one out in the bottom of the fifth, and Brandt followed with another liner to right to bring him home. That brought Harrington back to the plate, and he delivered the swing of the night — a high drive to right that didn’t look like it had the carry until the wind pushed it over the fence. The moment it cleared, the Defenders erupted.

“We were getting some action on the bases early, but we just couldn’t break through,” coach Zechman said. “When Griff got that pitch and turned on it, that was huge — a total momentum‒changer.

Warrior Run wasn’t done that inning as Logan Stevenson lined an RBI single to left to make it 5-3.

“We had some really quality at‒bats that inning, guys running the bases well, putting pressure on them,” coach Zechman said. “We’d had some tough luck earlier. Their third baseman makes a heck of a play that probably scores a run, but we stayed in it.”

Harrington strutted off the mound after a 10‒pitch, 1‒2‒3 sixth inning. The Defenders added another run in the bottom half on a bases‒loaded fielder’s choice from Keifer.

“Putting up four in the fifth was massive, and getting that insurance run in the sixth was just as big,” said coach Zechman.

Harrington ran into trouble to open the seventh, allowing a chopped single over the third base bag and a walk. After a mound visit, he locked back in — inducing a grounder to Keifer at third, who tagged the lead runner, then striking out the next batter on a curveball that left him way out in front. After stepping off before a key 1‒2 pitch, Harrington got Logan Loxley to bounce a comebacker to the mound and jogged it to first himself to seal the 6-3 win.

“In the seventh, it got a little hairy — first and second, no outs — but credit to Griff for settling in,” Zechman said. “That was a gutsy win against a solid Troy team.”

The Defenders move on to face top-seeded Wellsboro (18-2), who defeated Bloomsburg 11-1 on Tuesday, in the semifinals at Mansfield University at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

“They’ve been in control of the Northern Tier all year. They’ve got good pitching, good hitting, good defense — everything you’d expect from a team in their spot,” coach Zechman said. “We’re going to have to play a really good game.

“But we’re excited. The biggest thing is playing for each other and earning the right to come to practice tomorrow. At this point, it’s about surviving. The winner gets at least two more games. You lose, you go home. We’re excited for the opportunity.”

Warrior Run 6, Troy 3

Troy 210 000 0 — 3 4 0

Warrior Run 100 041 x — 6 9 1

R. Palmer, F. Harper (6) and M. Smith. James Keifer, Griff Harrington (5) and Jackson Bowers. W: Harrington. L: Palmer.

Top Troy hitters: Smith, 1-3, BB, 2 runs; B Ayres, 2 BBs; B. Gilliland, 1-4, run; Palmer, 1-3; T. Teribury, 1-3, 2 RBIs. Top Warrior Run hitters: Cohen Zechman, 3-4, run; Collin Brandt, 2-3, 2 runs, RBI; Harrington, 2-3, HR, 2B, BB, 2 RBIs, run; Keifer, BB, 2 RBIs, run; Bowers, 1-3; Logan Stevenson, 1-2, 2 BBs, RBI; Lucas Goff, BB, run.