(Photo: Chase Kriebel of Clarion struck out 15 in 6 2/3 innings but ended up getting a no-decision in the Bobcats 2-0 loss to ECC Tuesday. Photo by Christie Datko)

The game was a pitcher’s duel between Clarion freshman Chase Kriebel and ECC senior Hunter Cashmer with the two throwing up nothing but zeros while both reached double digits in strikeouts.

Kriebel concluded a sensational rookie campaign by allowing two hits — a wounded duck blooper and a swinging bunt — and four walks while striking out 15 in 6 ⅔ innings before reaching the postseason pitch limit of 105 tosses.

“He threw a lot of strikes,” Clarion manager Rob Jewett said. “He went into some deep counts, so he ran out of his pitches. But he pitched his butt off.”

Cashmer was a bit more efficient with his pitches needing just 87 to get through eight full innings. He allowed two hits, a walk and a hit batter and struck out 10.

“We have seen better,” Jewett lamented. “But he did a really good job of keeping our bats quiet today. So credit to him, too.”

The game was decided in the eighth when Rhoades, who came in to get the final out in the seventh, was bitten by some bad luck when Tylor Herzing reached on an error by the third baseman Cole Slaughenhaup with one out in the inning. Herzing then went to third when Will Uberti singled to right.

At that point, ECC elected to send Uberti to second on a steal attempt, and Clarion got the Crusader runner in a rundown. But that was exactly what ECC wanted, as Herzing raced home ahead of throw and Uberti took second safely.

“I was actually hoping that Skylar (Rhoades) would just pump it and keep it and concede second,” Jewett said. “But once he started throwing it, I knew we were in it. The right guy the ball (home), but it was just a little too late. It worked out better for them.”

A base hit to left by Alec Wehler then scored Uberti to make it 2-0 with Rhoades giving up two runs, one earned, on two hits while striking out one.

“I had all the confidence in the world in Skylar,” Jewett said. “He came in throwing strikes. The baseball Gods just weren’t on his side today. But I had all the confidence in the world in him. He has been doing it all season. I felt good.”

The game might have been lost for Clarion in the bottom of the sixth inning when the Bobcats got Rhoades to third base with no one out thanks to an error and two stolen bases.

But Cashmer got Cal German to pop up to second baseman Isaac Brock for the first out then managed to get Lake Staub to pop up to Brock for the second out before Slaughenhaup grounded out to the shortstop Wehler for the third out.

“We were missing that clutch hit,” Jewett said. “That was kind of our problem at the beginning of the season. We were hitting the ball later (in the year) but we kind of went quit today. All they needed to do was hit the ball on the ground, but they kept popping it up. It was hard to square the ball up on that pitcher.”

Clarion had another chance in the seventh when Nate Datko led off with a single, but instead of moving the runner into scoring position Jewett let Christian Simko swing away, and Simko hit into a double play on a 2-0 pitch to quash the rally.

ECC will now take on top-seeded DuBois Central Catholic in the semifinals Thursday at Punxsutawney.

Clarion finishes the season 11-7.

ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 2, CLARION 0, 8 INNINGS

Score by Innings

Elk Co. Cath. 000 000 02 — 2
Clarion 000 000 00 — 0

ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC — 2

Tylor Herzing rf 3100, Will Uberti cf 3110, Alec Wehler ss 3011, Hunter Cashmer p 4000, Taylor Boland 3b 4020, Brennan Klawuhn c 2000, Isaak Brock 2b 3000, Dan Wimer dh 1000, Alex Fedus 1b 1000, Ryan Fritz lf 3000. Totals 27-2-4-1.

CLARION — 0

Skylar Rhoades cf/p 3000, Cal German ss 3000, Lake Staub c 3000, Cole Slaugenhaup 3b 3010, Nate Datko lf/cf 3010, Christian Simko rf 2000, Drew Wrhen 1b 3000, Skylar Pastor dh/lf 2000, Cam Lapinto ph 1000, Noah DiTullio 2b 3000, Chase Kriebel p 0000. Totals 26-0-2-0.

LOB: ECC 6. Clarion 4. Errors: ECC 1. Clarion 2. SB: Boland 2, Herzing, Uberti, Wehler, Rhoades 2. SAC: Uberti. DP: ECC 1 (Brock to Wehler to Fedus).

PITCHING

Elk County Catholic

Hunter Cashmer 8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K, 1 HBP

Clarion

Chase Kriebel 6 ⅔ IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 15 K
Skylar Rhoades 1 ⅓ IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Totals 8 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 16 K

Winning pitcher: Cashmer
Losing pitcher: Rhoades