WEARE — It was a big game and the time seemed suitable for Tyler Small to make the difference in Goffstown High’s 4-0 win over Route 114 rival John Stark.

Small stepped to the plate with runners on second and third and one out in the sixth inning of a scoreless contest to face Egan Nickerson, one of the top pitchers in the state. Nickerson entered the game sporting a 5-0 record with an 0.41 ERA.

When the Generals called time out to make some defensive adjustments, Goffstown teammates congratulated Small on the feat he was going to accomplish. Success seemed certain.

“The team had my back. I went up there feeling confident to do the job,” said Small, who barely fouled off a full-count, two-strike pitch before stroking an outside offering to right field, plating Cameron Bond and Michael Bailey. Kyle Perron followed with an RBI single, and Goffstown had its third run.

That was enough for Perron, who threw a three-hitter with 13 strikeouts, slowing down an offense that had averaged nearly eight runs per game during an eight-game win streak that ended Friday. He notched four of those strikeouts in the last two innings.

“Just being in this game was great,” said Perron, who earned his third win of the season. “The intensity was huge. Egan was tough to hit. We just battled and it was personal, too. We like to beat our rival.”

Perron struck out the side in the fourth and sixth innings and held Stark to one hit in the last five innings. He whiffed batters chasing a high fastball and recorded five called strikeouts, catching hitters looking at his two-seam fastball tailing off the outside corner.

Through the first five innings, Nickerson stymied Goffstown’s potent lineup, which had scored an average of eight runs a game. Stark’s senior ace completed the Shipyard Maine Coast Marathon in 4 hours, 4 minutes, 58 seconds on Sunday, raising more than $1,500 for a charity dealing with autism.

“There might have been some residual affect from running that race by the time the sixth inning rolled around,” said John Stark coach Dennis Pelletier. “Egan pitched very well. We just didn’t hit, and for some reason, we struggle against (Perron).”

John Stark (10-3) scored just one run in three games when facing Perron the past two seasons. Friday, only Callahan Loos, Aaron Robertson and Adam Tower managed base hits off Perron.

Two infield errors helped Goffstown (13-3) tally a run in the seventh for the final run of the game. Otherwise, John Stark turned two double plays, one featuring a leaping catch by shortstop Wesley Lamphere. Derek Goldrick dove to snare a line drive in the second inning.