Crest’s Tweedy nips Sumner in pitching showcase
By Brandon Wright, Features Writer
RIVERVIEW – Tuesday night’s season-opener showcased a doozy of a matchup on the bump… albeit featuring starkly different approaches.
On one side, Sumner’s Ethan DeJesus was fanning Chargers left and right while his counterpart Brisen Tweedy spent the night deftly pitching to contact.
Both were extremely effective – one was just a touch better.
Tweedy twirled a complete game and Saxon Shah drove in the eventual game-winner in the sixth as Strawberry Crest slipped past host Sumner 3-2 last night.
“Before the game I knew I wanted to go out and pitch all seven and dominate as much as possible,” Tweedy said. “Physically, I felt great. I feel like I could go seven more.”
Beattie said rather than looking to miss bats, the plan was for his lanky righty to go the distance.
“For us we were trying to pitch to contact, especially early, so he could go all seven,” Beattie said. “(Tweedy) executed it perfectly. He’s a high strikeout guy, but we purposefully didn’t want to look for strikeouts the first time-and-a-half (through the order) unless we needed to.”
Tweedy scattered six hits, five of which were singles. He struck out five, walked one and hit another.
“A big key to going the distance was first-pitch strikes,” he said. “I think I did a good job of that today and once you’re ahead in the count the at-bat is yours. You control how things go from there.”
Tweedy also got some timely defensive help. He picked off two runners at second and catcher Toby Highsmith erased two more would-be base stealers, including the potential tying run in the bottom of the seventh.
“Toby is a gamer, man,” Beattie said. “He missed a ball but the next opportunity he got to take a guy out, he took advantage.”
DeJesus, for his part, was just as sharp. The junior righty fanned 10 in 5 ⅔ innings, struck out the side in the second and had multiple Ks in four frames.
“Hats off to DeJesus,” Beattie said. “He threw the ball really well and they made some nice defensive plays.”
Crest trailed 2-1 entering the sixth but Chase Conti drew a leadoff walk and Nico Cappucci drove him home with a triple down the right field line.
“All three at-bats I got a first-pitch fastball so I was sitting on it,” Cappucci said. “It was down and away and I just smacked it the other way. An oppo hit is my favorite kind of hit.”
DeJesus whiffed the next two batters, but Shah ripped a 3-1 offering up the middle to give Crest the lead for good.
“We didn’t, by any means, play a clean game,” Beattie said. “But we got the big hits when we needed it and Tweedy pitched his butt off.”
Jaylin Chambers had a pair of hits for Sumner, including an RBI single in the third. Cameron Pauquette came around to score in the fifth on a passed ball to briefly give the Stingrays a 2-1 lead.
Both teams resume play Thursday, with the Stingrays hosting Plant in a district matchup and the Chargers welcoming in visiting Newsome.
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(3) Strawberry Crest 3
(13) Sumner 2
SC 100|002|0 – |3|4|2
Su 001|010|0 – |2|7|2
W – Tweedy (1-0); L – DeJesus (0-1)
2B – Welch (Su); 3B – Cappucci (SC). Records – SC (1-0); Su (0-1).
