Mark Phillips struck out Upper Dauphin’s Scott Deitrich with the tying run at second base and two outs in the bottom of the seventh to seal the title for Hanover, 1-0.

“This year, the only thing we talked about was districts and states. This was one of the goals we set,” Phillips said. “We set out and did it. ... I can’t hit and pitch at the same time. My teammates have come up big behind me every time.”

Hanover will play Southern Columbia in the first round of the PIAA tournament on Monday.

Phillips struck out nine Trojan batters in all, but a stellar effort from Upper Dauphin starter Ryan Lentz kept this a scoreless game deep into the humid night at Ephrata’s War Memorial Field.

“He pitched a great game,” Phillips said of his counterpart. “We didn’t know who they were gonna throw, didn’t know anything about him. No scouting reports. And he was tough.”

Luke Arentz knocked in what proved to be the only run of the game with a gap double to left field in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring Jon Brady, who had walked. Hanover had the coveted run, then had to hang on, the Nighthawks’ ace trying to deliver on so much promise.

The contest unexpectedly evolved into a scoreless duel, as Lentz matched Phillips pitch for pitch, with somewhat better control. Phillips struck out six through six innings, but he also walked three batters.

His curveball was missing the strike zone for a good part of the night, and the big hook, when it dropped into the zone, was not being called a strike. One walk in particular nearly put the Nighthawks in control in the top of the fifth inning.

Phillips issued a leadoff walk to Upper Dauphin’s Scott Deitrich, who was moved to second on a groundout to first. Shawn Carl, the Trojans’ No. 3 hitter, grounded to short but beat the throw with a head-first slide. Deitrich, running all the way with two outs, barreled toward home plate, where first baseman Mike Adams’ throw arrived in catcher AJ Phillips’ glove as Deitrich greeted him.

The umpire called nothing after the original play. Phillips, sensing something amiss, chased Deitrich down and tagged him out. Players and coaches from Upper Dauphin erupted in protest.

“I saw him coming, and I figured it was gonna be their one chance, because Mark was pitching great,” AJ Phillips said. “I might have stuck my foot out a little ... I don’t know if he touched it (the plate) or not, but I think he might have gone around it.”

“We were in a game where one or two runs was going to win it,” Trojans coach Tim Williard said. “I know one thing, he sure as hell wasn’t going to change his call.”

It would prove to be huge. The way things were going, one run either way could win it.

Arentz delivered in the bottom half of the inning.

“I think it was a 2-2 fastball,” he said of the pitch he laced for a double. “I remember standing on second and everybody’s cheering. I’m thinking that we still have two innings to go, boys. It’s not over yet.”

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