FAIRVIEW TWP - Civilizations have risen and fallen in the time it takes Jarrett LaVan to throw a pitch.

To say the Karns City pitcher is deliberate is an understatement.

But it works.

"If I was a hitter, I'd be calling time constantly," said Karns City coach Tom Stewart.

LaVan worked three effective, albeit plodding, innings for the Gremlins before yielding to Brian Best in a 5-3 win over Keystone Thursday.

The LaVan-Best combination has been working for Karns City all season.

Best is the polar opposite of LaVan. He works fast and has a sneaky fastball that gets on the hitter quickly.

"Jarrett almost lulls you to sleep," Stewart said. "Then Best comes in and works so fast. That combo just kept (Keystone) guessing."

LaVan struck out four of the first six batters he faced. He did surrender a solo home run to Brett Zuck that put Keystone up 1-0 in the top of the second inning.

But Karns City tacked on two runs in the bottom half of the frame on a two-RBI double off the bat of No. 9 hitter Brad Fuhrer.

"His slow windup to the plate got the guys frozen a little bit," said Keystone coach Ed Rhoades of LaVan. "He was around the dish and getting that first-pitch strike."

LaVan lost his control at the start of the fourth inning, walking the first two batters he faced. That's when Stewart went to Best, who recorded three outs with two pitches.

With his first pitch, he got Carlton Summerville to fly out to left field. His second offering resulted in an inning-ending double play.

Karns City added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a single by Joe King and two more in the sixth to pad its lead.

LaVan hit a solo home run that cleared the left-center field wall by 25 feet. Fuhrer later scored on a wild pitch.

The Gremlins needed those runs.

Keystone scored a run in the sixth inning and added another in the seventh.

Best got Zach Smith on a called third strike to end the game with runners on first and third. Keystone stranded seven runners in the game.

"Our baserunning cost us a little bit," Rhoades said. "We stranded a lot of runners and took too many called third strikes."

Karns City's defense was stellar behind its two pitchers. Shortstop Josh Stimac went 0-for-3 at the plate, but he might have saved four runs by taking away several potential huts with his range and strong arm.

"Early on, he got to a couple of balls most kids don't get to," Stewart said. "Or if kids do get to them, they throw them away because their feet aren't set."

Defense will be important for the Gremlins because the club doesn't possess a dominant pitcher.

But it has several of competent ones, and Stewart isn't shy about using all of them.

Karns City hasn't recorded a complete game this season by design.

"We're throwing guys two (innings) here, one there, one there," Stewart said. "So far, it's been working.

"By the time the other team gets through the order, they are facing someone else, so they have to make adjustments. When you make the other team guess the whole time and keep them from locking on to one pitcher, it makes it tough on them and gives you a little edge," he added.

Keystone 010 001 1 3 6 2Karns City 020 012 x 5 8 1W: Brian Best (4 IP) 1 K, 0 BB.

L: Zach Smith (1 1/3 IP) 2 K, 0 BB.

Keystone (3-1): Ken Alsop RBI; Brett Zuck HR, RBI; Mitch Rearick 1B, 2B, RBI

Karns City (3-3): Cody Williams 2B; Joe King 2-1B, RBI; Jarrett LaVan 1B, HR, RBI; Brad Fuhrer 2B, 2-RBI

Monday: Redbank Valley at Karns City