Before Friday’s rivalry game, the baseball programs at Mitchell and Wasson were winless. They had been outscored by a combined 136-23 . And both teams had more errors than runs in a combined 10 games.

Yep, that’s right … things are finally looking up.

Wasson coach John Rae and Mitchell coach Brett Humphrey are finally giving the programs a sense of stability after years of revolving-door coaches before them.

Neither team has been good this season, but each coach said they will be staying around to bring winning back to the diamond for their respective clubs.

As for the game, the Mitchell Marauders (1-7) got the better of the 0-4 Thunderbirds 8-5 at Spurgeon Park to kick off spring break around the area.

For both teams, it was their best game of the season.

“We played well, but they played better,” said Rae who drives an hour both ways from Florence. “We didn’t hit the ball as hard as we could and they shut us down at the end.”

Mitchell, which has no seniors on the roster, was led by the performance of junior pitcher Brett Shartzer. He pitched all seven innings, gave up five runs and struck out 12 on 105 pitches.

“A lot of the underclassmen haven’t played too much and it’s been tough this year for all of us. It’s tough not having any of that senior experience on our team,” Shartzer said. “But it felt great to get this win.”

Down 5-1, Wasson’s bats finally bothered the junior righty in the top of the fifth. The inning started with the bottom of the order loading the bases before Shartzer regained his composure and stuck out the next hitter on four pitches. But then, on a 2-1 count, Walter Prentice drove in two en route to a three-run inning to close the deficit to 5-4.

Over the next two innings, the Marauders struck back and cushioned their lead after Thunderbirds’ pitcher Daniel Schemmel plunked his fifth and then sixth batter of the day. A pitch after he was pulled, relief pitcher Max Stockstill balked in Mitchell’s eighth run and the home team led 8-5 heading into the final frame.

“Our kids worked a little harder and played just a little better today,” said third-year coach Humphrey, who coached Wasson for one season prior to switching to its rival. “If you can’t get excited for a rivalry like this, you’re not a baseball player. … Hats off to (Wasson) as well.”

Shartzer closed the final inning and the game on eight pitches and another strikeout on a sunny day as both programs try to find a way to put their teams back on the baseball map.

“Maybe we can (both) get going after (today),” Rae said.

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