PINE GROVE - It was perhaps the most fitting end to one of the finest pitching duels of the Schuylkill-Berks Legion League season.
Pine Grove's Jared McCabe and Muhlenberg's Tyler Sassaman spent all but a couple innings of Tuesday night's league championship battling one another from the pitching rubber of Stump Stadium.
After three-plus hours of baseball, a decision was made.
Pine Grove (13-10-1) and Muhlenberg (16-3-2), both with their tickets already punched to the Region 2 American Legion Tournament, would be crowned co-champions after 10 innings of scoreless baseball.
The Grovers, who played 17 innings Tuesday after beating Southern Area earlier in the evening, were as satisfied as they could be. They had little choice, considering the game was called due to a curfew at Stump Stadium.
"It was one of those situations where you didn't expect it to happen," Pine Grove coach Frank D'Agostino III said in a phone interview Wednesday. "I don't think anyone expected it would be a 10-inning game, 0-0.
"With the way things played out, at the time, I guess it was the right decision. ... But I'm satisfied. Neither team deserved to lose."
Sassaman struck out 10 in eight innings before being replaced by Eli Klick after Kobe D'Agostino led off the top of the ninth inning with a double to right-center.
D'Agostino was picked off at third base after a sacrifice bunt. Just a couple pitches later, Nick Cataldo also doubled to right-center - but there was no one to bring home and Cataldo was stranded at second as the game inched forward.
"We actually saw them run that (pick-off) play against us earlier in the game and on somebody else in the tournament," Frank D'Agostino said. "I kinda' saw what was happening and I tried to help out but I guess it wasn't enough. They made a good play."
McCabe worked his own wonders to get out of tough places.
With runners on first and second and one out in the bottom of the second inning, McCabe struck out Cameron Weidner and Conor Williams to strand the runners.
Daulton Fidler doubled with one out in the fourth to get the A's faithful cheering, sensing a scoring opportunity. But again McCabe came to the rescue, striking out Nick Wanner and Cody Fidler to end the inning.
"He gave us more than enough, that's for sure," D'Agostino said. "We couldn't ask for any more than what he gave us. It was just a shame we couldn't put one across for him."
Grovers first baseman Zach Boltz and catcher Steve Zimmerman made a couple key catches in foul territory to help McCabe. Shortstop Logan Levan picked about a half-dozen grounders and outfielders Jed Blankenhorn, D'Agostino and Austin Fick snagged more than a few running catches to keep Muhlenberg out of scoring position.
The A's scattered three hits and avoided damage despite three errors, four walks and four stolen bases. McCabe allowed just four hits and one walk (which didn't come until the ninth inning).
Pine Grove caused the only two blemishes in Muhlenberg's postseason run as the Grovers ran over the A's with a 9-1 win Sunday to stay alive in the league playoffs.
The A's, the league's regular-season powerhouse, committed five errors in that loss Sunday and added three more Tuesday.
Pine Grove had just one error between both games, and now it shares a spot atop the league with a team that had just two losses before the playoffs began.
In the five years that the Schuylkill-Berks Legion League has been in existence (it was carved from the Berks, Schuylkill and Lebanon leagues in 2010), a decision to have co-champions was never made.
That decision was much easier Tuesday night. Muhlenberg had an automatic bid to the regional tournament because the A's are the host team. When Pine Grove reached the league final after beating Southern Area earlier Tuesday, it became the Schuylkill-Berks representative at regionals.
Even with the decision to crown co-champs, no team has won the Schuylkill-Berks Legion League twice. Three teams from each division have won the title - Kutztown, Oley/Topton and Muhlenberg from the South and Southern Area, Valley View and Pine Grove from the North.
"I think this speaks to the balance in this league, which we're extremely proud of," league secretary Ed Lloyd said via email Wednesday.
But while a share in the league title is nice, the Grovers aren't done yet.
Pine Grove plays the Northampton County Legion League runner-up in the opening round of the double-elimination Region 2 Tournament at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Muhlenberg's Gochnauer Field.
"We're going to keep doing what we've been doing," D'Agostino said. "Getting out to practice (today) and Friday a little bit and see where we are Saturday morning."