WHEELING — It will be a performance Eli Petho won’t soon forget — if ever.

Linsly’s pit-bull of a pitcher has been unblemished on the hill all season. His latest mound masterpiece took on added significance Monday night.

The talented senior righthander scattered six hits while fanning seven in a route-going 4-1 triumph over previously unbeaten Barnesville in the OVAC 3A championship game at the I-470 J.B. Chambers Complex. It proved a repeat of championships for Jay Cartwright’s Cadets as they pocketed the 2A crown last spring.

“Eli is a great competitor. I don’t think he had his best stuff (Monday) but he gutted it out,” Cartwright said. “He is battler. He also came up with a key hit for us. He has had a tremendous season.”

Petho is now 7-0 with one save to his credit this spring.

The championship is Cartwight’s eighth OVAC crown at the Linsly helm.

Barnesville, which has been knocking at the OVAC title door for the last several seasons under D.J. Butler’s deft tutelage, fell for the first time in 17 starts. The Shamrocks entered the game as the No. 1 team in Ohio Division III.

“We didn’t take advantage of our opportunities. We left too many runners on base,” Butler said. “Jagger (Jefferis) pitched well enough to win. We left him in a little too long.”

One of those ill-fated scoring opportunities came in the first inning. Cade Hannahs singled and Jared Kernen doubled, placing Shamrocks on second and third with one out. Petho, however, was up to the task, inducing a popout to third before recording a strikeout.

The two teams traded zeroes through the first four innings before each pushed across a run in the fifth.

Linsly drew first blood when rising sophomore Zac Taylor rocketed a double to deep left before a wild pitch and an error yielded a Cadet run. Barnesville answered immediately in the home-half. Hannahs singled and scored on a double to right by Jefferis.

Cartwright’s crew mustered up some seventh inning lightning to pull out the verdict.

Taylor opened the frame but crushing another double. Scrappy junior Lee Paull produced a perfect sacrifice bunt before Kobe Hill delivered an RBI single for what proved-to-be the game-winning run.

Jules Giovengo added fuel to the uprising with a single before Petho delivered the dagger with a two-run single for a 4-1 cushion.

The Shamrocks didn’t go quietly in their seventh frame. With two outs, Kernen launched a double to deep right center before Jefferis drew a walk. Petho again answered the call, recording his 21st out on a soft pop to second base.

All told, Barnesville left 10 runners on base.

“I felt really confident going into the game, both individually and for the team,” Petho said. “We have a great group of players and our coaches do a super job of teaching us. I couldn’t ask for a better senior season.”

Jefferis did pitch superbly before leaving with one out in the seventh. The junior southpaw allowed just four hits while striking out five and walking three.

“It is a great feeling to repeat as OVAC champions. We beat a real good team in Barnesville,” Cartwright said. “We have a great group of kids who come to practice and play hard day-in and day-out. My coaches (Scott Goodnight and Eric Petho) are great at what they do. I am really happy for my players and staff.”

Linsly improved to a sparkling 18-5.

“Give Linsly credit. They made the plays and Petho pitched a good game,” Butler said. “I am not worried about my team bouncing back. This game may help us refocus.

“We have great senior leadership on this team. We will be fine. We have a lot of baseball yet to play. We are looking forward to it.”