Dave Morrison
It was a pitching performance for the ages. And it was right on time for the Shady Spring Tigers.
Tyler Reed, catcher by nature, reliever by name, put on a starting exhibition that would make an ace smile in the Tigers’ 4-3 victory against Nicholas County Friday night at Shady Spring.
The performance kept the Tigers alive in the Class AA Region 3, Section 2 tournament. The two teams will play a deciding game Saturday evening beginning at 6 p.m.
Reed needed just 77 pitches to go the distance, seven innings, in a game that was delayed over an hour by heavy rains that past through the area in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Not even that could slow Reed, who gave up seven hits on seven hits but did not walk a hitter and struck out four.
In fact his performance did make one ace smile.
“We were joking about it and Cam (Manns, the Tigers staff ace) told me, ”77 pitches? It would have taken me 110.”
Generally, it is Reed who catches Manns.
Reed wasn’t sure he would get the start, after going 30 pitches in starting the previous night in a win against Independence. He was more or less and opener in that game going 1.2 innings. If you add his pitches Thursday and Friday he still wouldn’t;t have exceeded the 110 pitch limit, which speaks to his efficiency onto evening.
“Earlier today I heard Jake (Meadows would start) so I focused on Jake and I was going to catch,” Reed said. “So I got here (coach Jordan Meadows) asked how my arm was good and I said, ‘yeah.’ He said, ‘All right, because you’re pitching.’ I didn’t think I would pitch today, it was a surprise to me.”
The work the day before, when he gave up four hits to Independence, didn’t hurt.
“I took some ibuprofen and just washed my brain and didn’t worry about yesterday and got ready for today,” he said.
He said the break for the delay also didn’t hurt either. In fact, it might have helped.
“It gave me some rest on my arm,” Reed said of the break. “I kind of sat there and rethought everything, did some bands (stretching out the arm) and got ready. I think it honestly helped.”
The stage was not too big for Reed. He watched David Young turn in a similar performance last season.
“Coming in here, it’s a win or go home,” Reed said. “I don’t want to go out like that. I’ve got by boys behind me, they’re family to me and there is no way I’m letting that (game) slip past me. All I thought was throw strikes, let them hit the ball and let my teammates make plays. And for the most part we did.”
Meadows was impressed with the performance which was far from run of the mill.
“When you think about it seven hits, you look at the box score they put up three runs, you’re like ‘There is no way he only threw 77 pitches,’” Shady Spring coach Jordan Meadows said. “They were swinging at first pitch strikes; he was getting fly balls early. I mean, he was in a grove tonight. What more can you ask for.”
Nicholas Couty coach DJ Martin as equally impressed.
“He was hitting his spots, had control of every pitch he throws and just had a great night,” Martin said.
“They came and kept fighting. We didn’t come through in situations. Basically just flip with Shady what happened in the first game (a 4-2 Nicholas County win). We didn’t get bunts down when we needed to, put the ball in the air a lot, left some runners stranded.”
Nicholas led 1-0 when the rain came. The Tiger tied it in the bottom of the fourth on a Colten Tate double that scored Jake Meadows, who had walked over an hour earlier when the heavy rain started.
Nicholas retook the lead in the fifth when Lucas Milam had a two-out single to score Aaron Triplett.
The Tigers tied it on a Jake Meadows single that scored courtesy runner Jalon Bailey.
After a quick top of the sixth the Tigers put together some two-out lighting, appropriate with the weather.
Cash McCall drew two-out walk and Carter Pack,pinch hitting, got a single. Brody Seabolt then had a clutch hit that scored McCAll. Pack later scored on a passed ball to give Shady a 4-2 lead.
“Carter Pack has earned his time to be in the lineup,” Meadows said. “I thought in that situation we just needed contact. Cash walked so we put Carter in so maybe he could get a hit, and he got a hit. First and second, I called a time out and said, ‘Brody, this is where you be the hero.’ He ends up being the hero but then Carter hustles is butt off to score on a passed ball. What more can you ask for?”
The way Reed was pitching, not much. The Grizzlies scored one in the seventh but Reed pitched out of further damage to help the Tigers get to Saturday.