By DAVID VANTRESS

For Northwest News

Sometimes, there’s nothing like a good old-fashioned pitchers’ duel.

That was the case for baseball fans at Carroll High School the evening of May 26 as DeKalb and Carroll met in the semifinals of the Class 4A Carroll Sectional. DeKalb triumphed, 1-0.

Carroll’s Will Worrell and DeKalb’s Elijah Ehmke dueled all night long, each throwing close to 100 pitches.

When the night was over, it was the Barons moving on to Monday’s sectional championship game with the slimmest of victories.

The Chargers committed three errors on the night and finished 20-7, while DeKalb improved to 20-10 and earned the right to face Snider the morning of May 29. The Panthers were an 11-1 winner over North Side in the earlier semifinal game Friday night.

After Friday’s loss, Carroll coach Dave Ginder said his team was disappointed but can take some comfort in the fine season they had. “The finality of this hurts,” Ginder said.

The Barons got the only run they ended up needing in the bottom of the second inning. Ethan Jordan reached on an error and later scored on another error.

For DeKalb coach Collin Bice, it was an example of the drive and perseverance his team has displayed all season.

“It’s postseason baseball, and you take what your opponent gives you,” Bice said. “Our guy threw a heck of a game and so did theirs.”

Outfielder Aaden Lytle had what turned out to be the defensive play of the night, throwing out a Carroll runner at the plate in the top of the first.

Ehmke said he felt like he was getting stronger as the game went on.

“All glory to God,” Ehmke said. “The later the game gets, the more the volume turns up. My boys behind me had my back.”

Ehmke struck out eight. Worrell fanned 11.

Ginder will coach the North All-Stars in the All-Star Series, June 23-25 in Lafayette. Worrell will be a member of the North All-Stars.

The Chargers say goodbye to 10 seniors: Worrell, Cooper Rudolph, Jackson Brown, Camden Herschberger, Thomas Tratnyek, Daniel Kirk, Andrew Sinish, Michael Dierckman, Gabe Starks and Cam Saunders.

DeKalb went on to defeat Snider 3-2 on Monday, advancing to meet Homestead or Huntington North in the June 3 regional.