By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

The Loyola Flyers hit into a double play and a triple play in consecutive innings Thursday against Northlake Christian, but just when it seemed like it might not be their night, their luck changed.

The Flyers scored on a fifth-inning throwing error with two outs to post the only run in a 1-0 win over the Wolverines in the opening game of the best-of-three Select Division III playoffs at Cicero Field.

Loyola’s Gavin Brint and Northlake Christian’s Eli Shewmake battled it out and were dominating the strike zone. Brint threw 67 strikes and only 16 balls to pick up the win. Shewmake was just as impressive with 43 strikes and only 13 balls.

The Flyers’ junior had only three two-ball counts and never had a three-ball count. Shewmake faced only one batter that even had more than a one-ball count.

Brint scattered six hits, struck out five and the only walk he issued was intentional. Shewmake threw a four-hitter, walked nobody and rode his defense, not recording a strikeout.

The game only took 1:16.

A brilliant outing in a playoff game wasn’t a unique experience for Brint. In his last two postseason starts, Brint has allowed only one earned run in 15 innings.

It was the first playoff win for Loyola first-year coach Morgan Brian.

“That was one of the best pitched high school games I’ve ever seen,” Brian said. “We won that game because of Gavin Brint. It’s nice to get the first one, but we still have more work to do.”

After missing out on golden opportunities in the third and fourth innings, the Flyers got the run they needed when a ground ball by Bryce Carpenter behind the third base bag that was thrown away at first, scoring Will Pickett from third.

Northlake Christian had the tying run in scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings but Brint got the third out. He also wiggled out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth.

Game 2 will be played at 5 p.m. today with Game 3 (if necessary) to follow.

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com