Palmyra likely deserved one more opportunity to decipher whatever impenetrable code Blair Lewis created. As it turned out, one more rain delay was just one too many for the boys in blue.
Lewis, Lower Dauphin's rising sophomore pitcher, was credited with a one-hit shutout Tuesday afternoon as the Falcons clinched at least a share of the Mid-Penn Keystone Division title with a 3-0 victory in Hummelstown.
Lewis finished with three strikeouts, earning the abbreviated decision when officials, citing safety concerns, opted to bypass a second rain delay and end the pivotal clash with the host Falcons (14-5, 11-2) hitting in the bottom of the sixth.
Per Rule 4-4, the final score reverts back to the final completed inning, meaning Palmyra's sixth-inning run on Trey Baker's RBI single, was wiped out.
“I was surprised. I thought we were going to go back out,” said Falcons assistant Ron Gourley, filling in for skipper Ken Kulina on Tuesday.
“It started to rain a little bit harder there for a while, so I thought they would put the tarps on for a delay. I surely didn't expect it to end like that.”
For head coach John Karavage and Palmyra (10-7, 5-7), hoping to lock down its District 3-AAA invitation with a big win, the quick hook went beyond surprising.
“I asked them if we could wait it out and they said nothing,” Karavage said. “I think we deserved a little bit more than we got, but it happens. We hit the ball, we just hit it to people. A few things didn't go our way and they scored two runs early. That's tough, especially when you get the game shortened. You can't get them back.”
Make no mistake, the way Lewis was handling his position, a Palmyra comeback with just three outs in hand was indeed a long shot. The righty was perfect through three complete and only allowed Connor Gurt's sharp single in the fourth before Palmyra finally got on the board.
“It's always good, pitching with the lead. You get some weight off you shoulder,” Lewis said. “Just throw strikes and working ahead. That was the plan. Work inside-out and get them to hit softballs.”
By that point, Kaylor Kulina's second-inning RBI triple, coupled with a sac fly by Corey Atkins, had staked Lewis a 2-0 lead.
And following a 15-minute delay, the Falcons added another run in the last of the fifth when Jason Shellenberger's single helped Lower Dauphin load the bases against Palmyra ace Tyler Morder.
Morder, sensational in long stretches himself, got Kulina to tag a two-out grounder to second. Cougars infielder Bobby Dorta was in position but couldn't make the play, allowing Shellenberger to sprint home.
Morder scattered just four hits, including two by Deon Stafford, and countered five walks and six strikeouts. The Falcons can wrap up their seventh division title in 10 seasons with a victory at Middletown on Thursday.
Epler on Twitter: @threejacker