What Shane Dyer couldn’t do with his bat, he did with his arm. And his head.
Eaton’s ace had a chance to break open a tight game in the Class 3A state quarterfinals Saturday at Bishop Machebeuf. The Reds were protecting a 1-0 lead and had the bases loaded when Dyer grounded to second to kill a potential rally.
Dyer went right back to the mound and continued to dominate the Brush Beetdiggers. He allowed only one more hit through the final three innings as Eaton held on 1-0 to move into the semifinals at Pueblo’s Runyon Complex.
“It was a missed opportunity, but it didn’t change anything,” Dyer said of his chance to knock in some insurance runs. “We just do what we did for three innings before.”
Indeed, Dyer showcased pinpoint control and a blazing fastball throughout a shutout, allowing only four hits. The senior recorded 10 strikeouts, gave up only one walk and kept the ball in the infield.
But Dyer’s performance – if not his fastball – was nearly matched by Beetdiggers starter Brady Needens, who kept the Reds off-balance with breaking balls and changeups. Needens struggled with his control but allowed only six hits and worked out of bases-loaded jams in the first and fourth innings.
Eaton’s only score came in the third, after Needens walked Reds third baseman Drew Smith.
Drew moved to second on a passed ball and came home on a single by first baseman Perry Hood, who fouled off three consecutive pitches with two strikes before singling down the left-field line.
Brush’s best scoring opportunity came in the sixth when second baseman Drew Oakeson led off with a single. Two hitters struck out trying to bunt Oakeson over, but the speedy sophomore swiped both second and third, and first baseman Cameron Alexander came to the plate.
Cameron drew a walk, putting runners at the corners with two out, but rounded first in an attempt to get into a rundown and distract the Reds. Dyer had none of it, charging at Cameron as he looked Oakeson back to third.
“I’ve seen Brush do that a couple of times this year,” Dyer said of the ploy. “Once (Cameron) starts going, I said, ‘I’m not going to throw this ball. I’m not going to let (Oakeson) score.”‘
Alexander first retreated, but Dyer tagged him to end the threat as Oakeson never had a chance to break for home. Dyer retired the side in order in the seventh to seal the victory and said he wasn’t rattled by the unorthodox attempt to get Oakeson home.
“There’s going to be situations where you get in a jam,” Dyer said. “It’s all about bearing down.”
Brush 000 000 0 – 0 4 2
Eaton 001 000 0 – 1 6 1
Brush – Guiterrez cf 3-0-0-0, Oakeson 2b 3-0-2-0, Bass c 3-0-1-0, Steiner ss 3-0-0-0, Alexander 1b 2-0-0-0, Bass 3b 3-0-1-0, Mellendez lf 3-0-0-0, Gonzalez 3-0-0-0, Maltos 2-0-0-0. Totals 25-0-4-0.
Eaton – Jones cf 3-0-1-0, Smith 3b 2-1-0-0, Dyer p 3-0-1-0, Carlson c 3-0-0-0, Hood 1b 2-0-1-1, Payne ss 3-0-0-0, Harris dh 3-0-0-0, Ottoson lf 3-0-2-0, Ball rf 3-0-1-0. Totals 25-1-6-1.
E – Bass 2; Smith. LOB – Brush 5, Eaton 6. 2B – Oakeson. DP – Eaton.
Batteries – Needens and Bass; Dyer and Carlson. W – Dyer. L – Needens. PB – Bass.
EATON 11, IGNACIO 0
Ignacio 000 00 – 0 2 4
Eaton 108 2x – 11 8 0
Hill, Rodriguez (3) and Bartley; Ottoson and Carlson. W – Ottoson. L – Hill.
BRUSH 8, COLORADO ACADEMY 2
Brush 040 000 4 – 8 7 1
Colorado Academy 002 000 0 – 2 3 2
Steiner and Bass; Patterfield, Sunderland (4) and Craft. W – Steiner. L – Patterfield. HR – Steiner, one on in 2nd.
