Dylan Chesnut is 'the man' for Walled Lake Central baseball

Pitcher Dylan Chesnut let his team down in last year’s 5-4 loss to West Bloomfield in the Division 1 district semifinal. So the Lansing Community College commit wasn’t about to let that happen again in Walled Lake Central’s 8-7 victory over South Lyon East in its Lakes Valley Conference opener on April 8. And that’s saying something because the senior wasn’t planning to pitch Game 1 of the series.

But after the Cougars scored five runs in the third inning, including Jaxson Gochenour’s three-run homer to left field that erased the Vikings’ 6-1 lead, third-year Central coach Tyler Troyer needed to make a switch on the mound. In came Chesnut, who threw three scoreless innings, struck out two and walked three while gutting out an incredible seventh that secured the Vikings (1-3, 1-0) their first win. The right-hander put two runners in scoring position with no outs, prompting Troyer to visit the mound for a chat.

“He was just talking to me about keeping that same mentality I’ve had and not letting the nerves get to me,” Chesnut said. “He was talking to me, saying, ‘You’re the man. We’re going to need you in the district championship, and this (situation) is no different.

’ He said, ‘I’m the man, so be the man,’ and that’s all I needed to hear. ” Central quickly recorded two outs, but East laid down a bunt that pushed home Alex Warrick to cut the deficit to one run. Brady Bush stepped into the box with the tying run in scoring position and worked a full count against Chesnut.