THETFORD — The Thetford Panthers player were joyous after their win over visiting Enosburg Falls on Tuesday and they celebrated the continuation of an undefeated season and advancement to the state final at Centennial Field for the second straight year and third in four seasons.

For Thetford coach Kris Keelty, the feeling was more one of relief. 

“That was the best team we’ve seen all year,” Keelty said. “That was a great baseball game. We just happened to break through.” 

The unbeaten Panthers, who played just four games all season determined by single digits, were held to their joint-lowest margin of victory and lowest run total of the season by the feisty Hornets, but held fast in the field and at the mound to take a 2-0 shutout win on a hot Tuesday afternoon atop Thetford Hill.

Thetford scored both runs with a two-out rally in the third inning, with Andrew Spooner ripping a double down the left field line to score a run from second before Sam Kraemer legged out an RBI single from a ball that didn’t leave the infield to double the Panther advantage. 

Senior Thetford starter Xander Oshoniyi, who’s already started a pair of state championship games, punched his ticket for a likely third start with six innings of shutout work backed by rock-solid defense behind him.

“We knew we had to roll out our best,” said Oshoniyi. “On the mound, at the plate, in the field, I think we overcame a little bit of adversity.”

Oshoniyi recorded seven strikeouts, but none were as crucial as his clutch play in the second inning. 

After a leadoff double and a mishandled bunt placed a pair of Enosburg runners at first and third with no outs, Oshoniyi stepped off the bump before even facing the next Hornet batter, having spotted the runner on first making too large of a lead.

“I wasn’t really planning on doing a real pickoff, but I mean, if I stepped off, what’s the harm?” Oshoniyi said. 

Instead of a real pickoff, Oshoniyi simply turned and sprinted, catching the off-guard runner too far away from the base and tagging him unassisted. In the chaos, the runner on third broke for the plate, but Oshoniyi heard his teammate calling and immediately followed the tag with a spinning on-target throw to the plate to complete a most unconventional double play and empty the bases. 

“It completely changed the course of the game,” Keelty said of the play. “I mean, they were about to take the lead and then the game could play out a completely different way. He’s just a great player, great athlete. How many kids can make that play?” 

After the double play, Oshoniyi settled nicely, setting down 12 of the next 14 batters he faced with just a pair of runners reaching via walk. The only runner to reach scoring position was set down by a traditional pickoff in the sixth inning.

Thetford placed runners on base twice more, but couldn’t add any insurance runs.

Sophomore Miles Lawrence recorded the save, working around a deep one-out single and a two-out error to force a game-ending groundout to third base. 

With VPA Division II move-down Enosburg now in the rearview mirror, Thetford will await either second seed Bellows Falls or third seed Woodstock at Centennial Field, looking to claim its second straight state title and third in four seasons.

“It’s just making sure we don’t get ahead of ourselves, and we approach it with the right mindset,” Oshoniyi said.

First pitch time on Saturday and opponent are both unconfirmed at time of writing.