Calvert Hall starter Trevor Sprinkle took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of Wednesday's matchup with visiting St.?Mary's, but the Cardinals could not find much offense to support the right-hander.

That's why Sprinkle came away with a no-decision after pitching eight innings of one-hit ball. Still, No. 2 Calvert Hall manufactured a run to give Sprinkle a brief lead in the sixth and did it again in the ninth as Brendan Webster hit a walk-off sacrifice fly that gave the Cardinals a 2-1 victory over No. 10 St.?Mary's in a Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference game.

It was a pitchers' duel between Sprinkle and St. Mary's starter Cam Nolet. Both gave up just one run in eight innings, and none of Calvert Hall's three hits led to a run, including the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth.

A.C. Chavis greeted St. Mary's pitcher Sam Barnes in the ninth with a walk and then made an alert play that set up the winning run. Michael Poling laid down a sacrifice bunt for Calvert Hall (10-5, 7-1 MIAA A). But when third baseman Will Rankin came in to field it and throw him out, nobody covered third and Chavis went all the way there from first.

“We practice that,” Calvert Hall coach Lou Eckerl said. “We try to make sure we can take advantage of an opportunity if the situation opens up there.”

Webster, who came into the game in the sixth inning to play left field, then sent his game-winning fly ball to center on a full count.

“I was just looking for something to get into the air,” Webster said. “I just wanted to elevate it and get it in.”

The game almost did not need extra innings after the Cardinals cobbled together a run in a similar way in the sixth. Dariel Torres reached on a two-base error to start the inning and went to third on J.P. Murphy's grounder to second.

Chavis followed with a sacrifice fly to center for a 1-0 lead. Sprinkle then tried to finish off the no-hit bid, but Brendan Aumiller broke it up for St. Mary's (7-6, 2-6) on a one-out single to center. A passed ball with two outs let pinch runner Ryan Poole score from third to force extra innings.

The no-hitter “was going through my mind,” Sprinkle said. “A no-hitter is something you'd like to have … but I really just wanted the win.”

Sprinkle struck out eight without a walk — although he hit three batters — and picked off one runner. He had a strong fastball and a nasty sharp-breaking slider that often tied up the Saints. who finished with only one hit.

The right-hander also got some help from his defense. Torres made a number of tough plays and good throws at shortstop. First baseman Jeff Jones came up with a few tough scoops of low throws to keep the no-hitter alive.

Andy Rosso got the win with one inning of scoreless relief.

All of this produced a hard-luck day for Nolet and St. Mary's. The left-hander allowed just one run on three hits in eight innings. He struck out five without a walk and mixed his fastball, curve and changeup throughout.

“I had my pitches working,” Nolet said. “I had a good game, but it was a tough loss.”