MARS — Never giving in often leads to moral victories.

This time, it produced a comeback for the ages.

Trailing host Mars 8-0 in the fifth and final game of the Eagle County League championship series, Cranberry Township rallied in the final two frames to post an improbable 11-8 victory Friday at Mars Boro Field.

It is the first-ever league title for Cranberry.

“Everything happened so fast. It was a blur,” said the team's longtime player/manager Bill Clinefelter. “We were on the verge of losing by the mercy rule and here we are as league champions.

“It's a surreal feeling,” he added. “It hasn't sunk in yet, but it will, no doubt.”

After struggling to show signs of life in the first five innings against Mars starting pitcher Rob Fester, Cranberry broke out with a six-run sixth inning.

Reliever Jim Devine escaped the inning with the lead, but would not survive the seventh.

Walks to John Brittner and Brandon Pouch were sandwiched around Joel Shaffer getting hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Reed Tomlinson singled home two runs to tie the game, at which point reliever Tim Devine entered the game. He was greeted by Ben Murray's RBI-single, followed by a bases-loaded walk to Ian Steigner that put Cranberry up 10-8. The final run scored on a sacrifice fly from John Davis.

“I really don't know what to say,” said Mars player/manager Brendan Malone. “We just fell apart there late in the game and lost control of our pitchers.”

Mike Patsch, Cranberry's relief pitcher who had entered the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, pitched two scoreless frames to earn the win. Branden Schlick worked a perfect seventh for the biggest save in Cranberry's history.

Fester allowed just one hit through the first five innings.

“He was unbelievable,” said Malone. “Last night was the first good night of sleep I had in a while, knowing he was going to be pitching for us.”

Fester, 51, is the second-oldest player in the league. What his pitches lacked in velocity, he made up for with his years of experience on the mound.

“He was effective,” said Murray, “but each of us made our own little adjustments at the plate and we got to him.”

Mars scored two runs in each of the first four innings. The spree included a two-run single from Matt Johnston in the first and a solo home run from Joe Sibeto in the fourth.

All eight runs were charged to Cranberry starter Rob Julian, who pitched through the fourth inning.

“I didn't think we were going to have enough daylight to get through four and a half innings,” Clinefelter said. “In that case, we would have came back (Saturday) with a clean slate and started the game all over. I wanted to save our pitchers in case that happened, so Rob took one for the team, staying out there as long as he did.”

Mars could have ended the game via the mercy rule in the fifth (10-plus run lead after five innings), but was unable to score against Patsch.

Then came the top of the sixth, which began with a seemingly harmless single from Clinefelter, but led to the avalanche that got the team back in the game.

A pair of two-out walks loaded the bases. Reed Tomlinson singled in one run and Dave Coradi was hit by a pitch from Fester to score a second run.

Murray then delivered the biggest hit of the game — a grand slam just inside the right-field foul pole that cut Mars' lead to 8-6.

“It was funny. I was telling someone in the dugout that I was going to take a first-pitch strike unless it was a fastball right down the middle,” Murray said. “That's what it was. I was pretty fortunate, though, that we were playing at this field. Right field here is 285 (feet) and I must have hit it 286.

“This was a consummate team effort,” added Murray. “It was for Bill. It's all for Bill.”

Cranberry Twp. 000 006 5 — 11 6 1

Mars 222 200 0 — 8 13 1

W: Mike Patsch 2 IP (3K, 1BB). L: Jim Devine .2 IP (1K, 2BB). S: Branden Schlick 1 IP (0K, 0BB).

Cranberry Township (27-5-1): John Brittner R, Joel Shaffer 2B 2R, Brandon Pouch 2R, Reed Tomlinson 2-1B 2R 3RBI, Dave Coradi 2R RBI, Ben Murray 1B GSHR 5RBI, Ian Steighner RBI, John Davis RBI, Bill Clinefelter 1B, Jake Clinefelter R

Mars (29-5-1): Brendan Malone 3-1B 2B 3R 3RBI, Dan Penberthy 2-1B R 2RBI, Matt Schuetz 2-1B, Matt Johnston 2-1B 2RBI, Joe Sibeto HR, Peyton Russoniello 2B 2R, Sam Sibeto 1B R