Jocelyn Holobetz kept throwing strikes. Her Nativity teammates kept catching everything hit at them.
Pitching and defense carried the Golden Girls to their second win in as many days, a 1-0, non-league triumph over Tamaqua on a sunny Wednesday afternoon atop Lawton's Hill.
Erin Luckenbill scored the only run - barely beating the throw home on a fielder's choice in the fourth inning.
"Tamaqua's a good team. They came to play,'' Nativity coach Tom Kaledas said. "We played good defense. Great pitching. We moved that run across, and the girls executed and did well.
"Credit to Tamaqua,'' he added. "In this league, you've got to win the close games. It's tough.''
Battling the consistent cold and rain during the preseason, both teams have spent far too much time in the gym. Kaledas said Nativity (2-0) has had two outside practices. Coach Jillian Barron has only had Tamaqua (2-1) on a field for its three games.
Holobetz outdueled the Blue Raiders' Bailey Pedersen in a pitchers' duel that lasted just 1 hour, 6 minutes. The right-handers allowed just three hits apiece.
"Bailey did really well. She's come on really strong to start the season,'' Barron said. "... Our defense is really starting to mold together, which makes me happy for being outside for the third day - only. Practice-wise, we haven't been able to be outside.
"The defense played really well, but the bats were flat today,'' she added. "Our offense wasn't there like it had been the first two games, but it'll come. It's early.''
Nativity bunched just enough offense to scratch out a run in the fourth inning. Luckenbill led off by crushing a double to the gap in left-center. After Steph Killian walked, Ryleigh Walaconis bunted the runners into scoring position. Allison Warren followed with a slow roller to shortstop and Luckenbill stepped on home plate just ahead of the catcher's tag.
On defense, Nativity had four 1-2-3 innings, and shortstop Rachael Souchak turned a ground-ball, 6-3 double play. Souchak also went 2-for-3 at the plate.
At first base, Luckenbill snagged a low line drive for an out and cleanly scooped two throws out of the dirt to save errors. She also threw out a runner trying to go first-to-third on a bunt.
Third baseman Dez Reigel handled eight chances flawlessly.
Tamaqua's best chance to score came in the fourth when, with two outs, Shayna Dietrich singled and stole second. Carly Sassaman then drilled a liner toward right field, but Walaconis, the second baseman, reached her glove high and snagged the ball out of the air for the third out.
"It's really been a struggle in the gym,'' Kaledas said. "The girls get kind of bored with it, but we just practice fundamentals and repetition. Hopefully it shows on the field when we play in April and May.''