CHESAPEAKE — Pitching dominated, but clutch hitting was the story.

Behind the stellar pitching performance of Allison Chapman and some clutch hitting, the Chesapeake Lady Panthers slipped past the Huntington (W.Va.) St. Joseph Lady Fighting Irish 3-2 in nine innings on Tuesday.

Chapman fired a three-hitter as she struck out 19 and walked four. Irish pitchers Sarah and Stephanie Sang combined for 17 strikeouts, five walks and eight hits.

“If you can’t get fired up over a game like this, you have to check and see if you’re breathing. It was two teams who played well,” said Lady Panthers coach Aaron Rice.

“Our girls did a good job of just battling. They had two girls who could throw well and it went back to pitching and defense for us.”

St. Joseph took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Tilcher singled, Stephanie Sang walked and Stephanie Dorsey had a one-out triple.

Chesapeake got a run back in the fifth on a walk to Nikki Lindsey, a stolen base and Sarah Mayo’s RBI single.

The Lady Panthers tied the game with a clutch two-out rally in the seventh inning.

Courtney Heffner walked, Hannah Henderson was hit by a pitch and Casey Kirk had a run-scoring single.

In the ninth, Mayo opened the inning with a base hit and Sidney Boyle had a bunt single. An out later, Henderson walked to load the bases and then Myky Harmon singled home Mayo.

“We didn’t fold our tents and quit. I’m proud of their effort,” said Rice.

Chapman, Mayo and Kirk had two hits each.

Chesapeake (16-0) plays at Rock Hill Wednesday in a pivotal Ohio Valley Conference game.

St. Joseph 200 000 000 = 2 3 1

Chesapeake 000 010 101 = 3 8 0

Sarah Sang, Stephanie Sang (8) and Stephanie Sang, Sarah Sang (8). Allison Chapman and Courtney Heffner. W-Chapman (19-K, 4-BB). L-Stephanie Sang (4-K, 1-BB). Sarah Sang 13-K, 6-BB. 2B-Chesapeake: Casey Kirk. 3B-HSJ: Dorsey. Hitting-HSJ: Tilcher 1-3, Stephanie Sang 1-3, Stephanie Dorsey 1-4; Chesapeake: Allison Chapman 2-4, Sarah Mayo 2-5, Sidney Boyle 1-5, Casey Kirk 2-5, Myky Harmon 1-5.