Shelby opens tournament play with error-free win over rival Clear Fork
The Whippets had just four hits on the night but drew 10 walks and were hit by a pitch four times.
SHELBY - Having split the regular season series, Wednesday's Division IV sectional championship between rivals Shelby and Clear Fork could go either way. Both teams defended their home turf in the MOAC and the same was true for the tournament as the three-seed Whippets are heading to the district semifinal after an 8-3 win over the five-seed Colts. "When you're in our district, every game is going to be hard no matter who you play," Shelby coach Jon Amicone said.
MORE: Lexington's Davis, Galion's Fagan highlight All-District 9 baseball honors Sometimes it has been the Whippets making things hard on themselves this season, though, having committed 47 errors as a team entering the postseason. Against the Colts Wednesday night, they had none in a near-perfect defensive effort to complement Kaleb Stairs on the mound who struck out three and walked none. "I thought he was efficient (and) he threw a lot of strikes," Amicone said.
"He didn't have his good breaking ball today, but he found ways to mix in his other pitches and keep them as balanced as possible. And when your defense doesn't have errors it allows you to work a little smoother ... he can breathe in there, throw your fastball, and spot that up because you know your defense is going to have your back behind you.
" He struggled a bit in the first two innings as five of the nine hits allowed came early, as did two of the Colts' three runs. But once he settled in, Stairs faced just four batters in the third and fourth inning, and sat down the side in the fifth and seventh. "The first game I only pitched two innings against them, so they haven't seen me in a full game and at full strength," he said.
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