Photo by Kim North Bethany’s Nick Leonard, on his back, and teammate Joey Dawson (4) both signal safe as Leonard scored a run in the fifth inning of Game 1 in the best-of-5 Ohio Valley Baseball League championship series Tuesday night on Henning Field inside Pramesa Park in Crescent. The Brewers won, 7-5. Also pictured is Barton catcher Zac Smith.

CRESCENT — Bethany has never won an Ohio Valley Baseball League championship in the modern era of the long-time summer spectacle. However, the Brewers, who are making a return to the league, are two wins away from securing that elusive title.

Tuesday night in Game 1 of the best-of-5 format, Bethany used a stellar pitching performance by Hunter Mozingo and Nick Leonard went 4-for-4 with two doubles and a pair of singles as the third-seeded Brewers (17-9) collected a 7-5 victory over No. 1 Barton on Henning Field inside Pramesa Park.

Game 2 is Wednesday night on the artificial surface at Bethany Park on the campus of Bethany College. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m. Game 3 is back in Crescent on Friday, also at 6.

In addition to his hitting, Dawson also scored two runs and stole three bases.

“We hit the ball today. Nick had four hits. Russell (Schwertfeger) had a big two-run double that got us going,” Bethany player/manager John Santimarino said. “Hunter gave us a great effort on the mound. He nearly had a complete game, but that’s how it goes in baseball.”

Mozingo, a recent graduate of Brooke High School, came within one out of going the distance. The righty struck out two, walked four and gave up nine hits before giving way to Russell Schwertfeger, who made things interesting by hitting Zac Smith with the bases loaded and walking Dom Gorence to force in another before getting a called third-strike to end it.

“It was a little closer than it should’ve been,” Santimarino noted. “You can’t talk before the game is over. That’s the baseball Gods there. Finish the game, then you can talk.”

He was referring to the bottom of the seventh when Mozingo, who had been bantering back and forth with Barton players throughout the contest, fielded a comebacker but threw wide of first to allow the top-seeded Braves (16-7) a chance. Josh Speaker then reached on an infield single before Nate Silvus walked to load the bases, ending Mozingo’s night on the mound.

“Great effort by Hunter,” Santimarino praised.

The Braves, who have won titles in 2018 and 2020, took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Speaker sent a drive to deep right-center that scored Jake Winland and Colten Coss, both of whom crossed the plate within seconds of each other. However, Speaker was thrown out trying to score from third on a flyout to right fielder Heath Hildreth to complete an inning-ending double play.

Held to just one hit through the first two innings against Barton starter Cooper Blackburn, Bethany, which has played as the Moundsville Expos for the last decade, scored five times on a like number of hits in the third to take the lead for good.

Schwertfeger, a Brooke High and South Carolina-Upstate product, ripped a two-run double to the gap in right-center. He went to third on a sacrifice fly by Gian DiGenova and scored on a sac fly off the bat of Joel Wise, who also collected an RBI when Leonard and Santimarino executed a double steal. Leonard kept running and was credited with a second stolen base. Hildreth laced a two-out single to plate the fifth tally.

“I thought we were the second-best team all summer, maybe the best,” Santimarino said. “We’ve shown we can play with anyone.”

Barton made it 5-3 in the fourth as Smith raced home on a fielder’s choice by Shane Smolenak.

Bethany answered with a pair of runs in the fifth when Joey Dawson, the No. 9 batter in the order, stroked a two-out, two-run single through the left side of the Barton infield.

“They just played better than we did. That’s it,” veteran Barton manager Billy Timko offered.

While Santimarino was unsure of who would get the ball for Game 2, Timko said he would hand it to Ben Taylor, who won Game 2 of the semifinal series against Maynard.

EXTRA BASES

— Should Game 4 be needed, it would be played Sunday at 1 p.m. at Bethany. Game 5, also if necessary, would be Monday in Crescent at 6 p.m.

— Bethany also turned an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play in the fifth.

— Wheeling finished with 10 hits. In addition to Leonard’s four hits, Dawson added a single to his double.

— The loss went to Cooper Blackburn. The Steubenville graduate fanned two, walked a pair and yielded five hits in two-plus innings of work. Speaker and Colten Coss finished up the mound duties.

— Mark Cisar (home plate) and Donnie Madzia (bases) were the umpires.