Spring Grove's Reed tosses gem against New Oxford
Spring Grove southpaw Anthony Reed pounded the strike zone en route to a three-hit, complete-game shutout to lead the Rockets to a 2-0 victory at New Oxford in YAIAA Division I baseball action Thursday afternoon.
The only senior on the Rockets' roster, Reed struck out nine and didn't issue a free pass. During a 66-pitch performance, he threw just 12 balls.
"This was probably the best control I've ever had in a game," Reed said. "I was able to throw everything in the zone, moved the ball around and hit my spots. My catcher (Ty Maughlin) did a great job of helping me out, too."
Things didn't start off great for Reed, though, as Keegan Romanoff led off the bottom of the first with a double. He took third on Ethan Hertz's sac bunt before Josh Shultz grounded to Rockets shortstop Matt Brooks, who ranged to his left and came up throwing to gun down Romanoff at the plate. Left fielder Cam Sterner then made a diving catch to end the inning on Alex Smith's sinking line drive.
"We gambled a little there by bringing the infield halfway in, but Matt made a great play to get the kid at the plate," Spring Grove head coach Kevin Stiffler said. "Then Cam made a great play, that if it gets by him, they probably score a run there."
Smith took the ball for the Colonials, and he matched Reed pitch-for-pitch through the first three frames as he retired the first nine Spring Grove hitters before Caleb Ruth reached on an error to start the top of the fourth. Ruth then stole third before coming home when Brooks reached base on an error.
New Oxford (2-3, 1-3 YAIAA I) received a leadoff single from Hertz to start the bottom of the fourth, but Shultz then grounded into a double play.
That double play started a run for Reed, where he retired 10 consecutive hitters.
Reed's second start of the season equaled hit entire total from last season.
"We had such a deep staff last year, and they often went deep into games, so he didn't get a lot of chances to pitch," Stiffler said. "This year, he's pitched well both times, and he's worked hard to get to where he is."
Spring Grove (2-2, 2-2) added a run in the top of the seventh when Reed reached base on an error that allowed Logan Miller to score. Miller reached on an error to start the inning, stole second and took third on Buzz Schuchart's sac bunt.
Down to their last chance, the Colonials brought the tying run to the plate with one out in the bottom of the seventh after Smith beat out an infield single. But Corban Czap lined into a double play to end it.
The two teams combined for just six hits, including just one extra-base hit.
Smith went the distance in defeat, allowing two unearned runs on three hits. The Colonials committed four errors. He struck out three and walked one.
"Alex pitched well enough for us to win today," New Oxford head coach Scott Anderson said. "They scored two unearned runs and we didn't score when we had the chance to in the first inning.
"Every game, we try to go into the sixth inning with a chance to win, and we did that today."
Both teams return to action Saturday with Spring Grove hosting Lower Dauphin at 1 p.m. and New Oxford hosting a tournament with Chambersburg, Big Spring and Kutztown starting at 9 a.m.
Spring Grove 2, New Oxford 0
Spring Grove0001001—231New Oxford0000000—034
SG, Anthony Reed and Ty Maughlin. NO, Alex Smith and Keegan Romanoff.
SO-BB — SG, Reed 9-0. NO, Smith 3-1.; W — Reed; L — Smith; 2B — NO, Romanoff.