Townley and Plant’s defense blank Jesuit

Plant junior Nick Townley tossed a complete-game shutout at Jesuit on Friday needing just 77 pitches to put away the Tigers and earn his fifth win of the season.

By Mike Camunas, Creative Director

TAMPA — Nick Townley kept it pretty casual.

That’s saying a lot since Plant’s junior right-handed pitcher threw a gem Friday night. He kept the Jesuit bats at bay to the tune of just five hits, adding a walk and two strikeouts over 77 pitches in a complete-game shutout in a 4-0 win on the road at Hyer Family Park.

“(I was) just trying to keep it in the zone (and) not give up any free bases to kids,” Townley said. “(I wanted to) get any weak contact that I could, (get) every ground ball, every pop up I could … I did give up the one walk — it was in the first inning, but after that, no more walks, no more walks (and) that was it.”

For more photos from this game click here.

Panthers senior captain Cash Strayer charges in to catch a line drive to centerfield.

With his deceptive, yet effective delivery, Townley did induce a lot of ground outs, and even more pop ups and was aided by the defense behind him — specifically the outfield led by Cash Strayer patrolling centerfield (who had a couple of diving catches), as well as Jackson Cucchi in right field and Desan DeCamp in left.

“They were fouling off a lot of balls off my fastball and my offspeed,” Townley said. “(And they were) well hit ones, too. Luckily, I have a good outfield, props to them — that’s why I made them hit the balls to them.”

@PlantHighSports junior RHP Nick Townley breaks down his complete game shutout gem (77 pitches, 5H, BB, 2K) to improve to 5-0 with a 0.87 ERA following the Panthers 4-0 road win over @JesuitBaseball. @CashStrayer, @DannyCerelli & @BrodyVermette helped in run support. @813Preps. pic.twitter.com/BjHccf0IJz

— Mike Camunas (@MikeCamunas) April 5, 2025

All of the five hits Townley allowed were just singles, while the Tigers (15-8) had seven base runners, with one of them, Christian Sheffield, reaching on an error — only for him to get picked off between second and third in the fifth inning.

Jesuit’s biggest threat of the game didn’t come until its back was truly against the wall — back-to-back singles in the seventh with two outs from Hudson Rivera and Wilson Andersen (who had two of the five hits Townley allowed).

Panthers sophomore Truman Mayer takes a lead off of first base in the sixth inning.

The Tigers, batting just .246 as a team and have scored just 98 runs and have just 141 hits, didn’t have a baserunner reach third in the game.

After the two singles in the seventh, Plant head coach Dennis Braun visited the mound to calm Townley. When asked postgame, what his message to his pitcher was, the veteran coach said:

“‘If they get those runs, that would be fine. If they want to steal, that’s fine. (You) worry about the guy at the plate (with two outs). Keep filling up the zone,’ and he wanted to throw the changeup, (so) I said, ‘Go for it and get us out of here.’

“(He) fills up the zone, and our guys played great defense, which we hadn’t done all game in a while, but we did tonight,” Braun added. “(Townley has a) true cutter which moves, a sinker that goes into the zone and he’s got some great movement. He’ll get the ball into play, but everyone played great defense tonight, which a pitcher like him needs.”

Townley, who improved to 5-0 with a 0.87 ERA, cruised all game.

Especially after spotted four runs early in the game.

Jesuit senior LHP Ryan Thompson

In the second inning, Plant (15-6) quickly, and rather routinely, got to Tigers senior lefty Ryan Thompson, who lasted just two innings (43 pitches). Despite striking out four, Thompson, nor the Tigers, ever recovered from the second inning and he was lifted for Brady Hoar (3.1 IP, 3H, 2BB, 3K).

Jesuit senior RHP Brady Hoar

In the second, Thompson would allow the four runs (three earned) on six hits, with Cash Strayer, Danny Cerelli (3-for-4, double) and Brody Vermette each driving in a run.

Danny Cerreli doubled in the fourth inning and here advances to third on a wild pitch.

The fourth run came on a throwing error allowing DeCamp to score. Urban Ellis was 3-for-4 with a run scored and Jordan Olivia had two hits.

“I was glad to see us able to put that pressure on early,” Braun said, “and we even had chances to score more, but I’m not going to complain about four runs or six hits in an early inning like that.”

Plant SS Urban Ellis was 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored.

Jack Fults and Keane Hyer would finish out relief for Jesuit over 1.2 innings, and allow just a hit, a walk and strikeout two (both from Hyer in the seventh).

“After that (second inning), I really just coasted from there, felt great,” Townley said. “(Headed down the home stretch of the season) we’re feeling pretty good. (I) just want us to go out there, get runners on base and get them in.”

Following Friday night’s game, Plant is outsourcing opponents 150-59, and, as a team, batting well over .321.

But it was Townley’s show in this game — just another quality, yet casual outing for him.

“He’s been giving us these quality starts all year and we let him finish (it off),” Braun said. “Other times we went and got him, we ended up getting a loss or a no decision. It was nice to see him get (a win) and finish it off himself like we knew he could.”

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#9 Plant 4
#8 Jesuit 0

P 040|000|0 – |4|11|1
J 000|000|0 – |0|5|1
W – Townley (5-0); L – Thompson (5-2)
2B – Cerelli (P). Records – P (15-6); J (15-8).

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