Schlabach low and away the best guy on the field in Hawks 8-0 win over Toronto
By Dave Mast
May 18, 2011
405
While Brad Schlabach may have been far and away the most dominant player on the field in Hilands 8-0 District semifinal victory over Toronto at Cambridge Park on Wednesday, May 18, it was his ability to go low and away that made him effective to the point of being nearly perfect.
Schlabach gave up only two hits, struck out eight and walked just one, and did not allow a Knights runner past second base in Hilands shutout win. The senior used his fastball and a sharp-breaking curve ball to destroy Toronto hitters, and once he realized that the umpires strike zone gave him a little leeway on the corner, low and away from Toronto right-handed batters, he pretty much made his home six inches off the plate, below the knees.
Its nice having an umpire who likes that strike, said Schlabach with a grin following the game. I knew they had a good hitting lineup, so I knew I had to be sharp.
He was, and catcher Hayden Mobley saw immediately that Schlabachs location was impeccable, so the senior backstop simply started setting up outside, and made things pretty simple in calling the game.
Brad really had his curve working, and was throwing his fastball well, said Mobley. I dont think we threw one changeup all night long. We just kept mixing it up and kept hitters off balance.
While Schlabach was doing the job on the mound, and his defense was playing very well behind him, not committing one error, the Hawks bats seemed to have stayed on the bus. Through five innings, all Hiland could muster off Toronto sophomore Tyler Owens, who was keeping the Hawks off balance himself, was one measly run on two hits. And when the Hawks were hitting it hard, it was right at a Knights fielder.
Hiland managed a single tally in the second, when B.J. Miller reached on an error, advanced to third on a Kenny Miller single and scored on a Jalen Miller sacrifice fly.
Aside from that lone run, it looked like a complete pitchers duel.
I told Bradley that the pressure may be on him today, said Hiland coach Tom Gibson.
It was for five innings, and Schlabach was reveling in it.
But then the dam broke, the floodgates opened and the Hawks poured it on in the sixth.
With one out, Luke Burch beat out a slow roller to shortstop, and Hayden Mobley unloaded on a massive shot to center field, that would have been out at most parks, but not Don Cross Field. His double plated Burch, and after B.J. Miller walked, Kenny Miller came through with another single to make it 3-0. Kendall Wagler followed suit to put Hiland up 4-0, then after Jalen Miller flew out, Schlabach helped himself by lacing a single up the middle to make it 5-0.
Thats when the ghost of Babe Ruth himself stepped up to put an exclamation point on the inning and the game.
Grant Troyer stepped to the plate, with runners on the corner, and delivered a mammoth home run to left field. Not only did Troyer smoke the Owens delivery well over the fence in left, he also called his epic shot.
I actually had told (assistant coach Chris) Dages that I was going to hit one out, said Troyer with a broad smile. We had been hitting the ball hard all night but they just werent falling. I hit that right on the sweet spot, and there was no doubt when I hit it.
When hits arent falling, hitting one 40 feet over the fence is one pretty solid remedy.
A lot of guys had big hits that inning, said Gibson. Kendalls hit was big, and Hayden just killed that ball to center. Of course Grants bomb wasnt bad either.
That was more than Schlabach would need, and the senior simply went out and continued to do what he had done all game, even with the large lead.
Brad pitched well, said Gibson. Hes crafty. You look at him on the mound and theres this 150-pound guy, but he mixes it up and spots his fastball so well. I thought our defense played exceptionally well too. We made some tough plays that dont necessarily show up in the book. The play B.J. made on that shot to second was really a tough play.
Mobley paced the Hawks with a pair of ringing doubles, while Troyer had the three-run homer, and Kenny Miller added a pair of key singles.
But make no mistake, on this night, it was big-game Brad Schlabach who owned the Knights, who will undoubtedly be flailing wildly at low and away pitches in their sleep for days to come.
