Troy played defense in support of Jake Reinhardt…shortstop Brady O’Leary turned this leaping catch into a 6-3 double play to kill a Butler rally in the first inning. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Sonny Fulks)
Troy junior Jake Reinhardt showed everything you need to be a dependable ‘stopper’, shutting out unbeaten Butler on 4 hits in downtown Dayton Tuesday to even the two game series between the conference’s best.
Dayton, OH – The two-game series between Troy and Vandalia Butler was conspicuous on their respective schedules, even as early as New Years.
Minster Bank proudly sponsors the best in area sports stories on Press Pros Magazine.com.
They were the teams to beat for the MVL River Division title in baseball, and those two games in mid-April were going to either make, or break, or split what’s annually become a winner-take-all affair between the I-75 rivals.
Monday’s opening game in Troy was Butler-dominant, as Troy pitching walked ten and Butler made every one of those free bases into an overnight nightmare for Troy coach Ty Welker and the Trojans.
Publisher Sonny Fulks writes OHSAA and Ohio State sports for Press Pros Magazine.com.
But Tuesday’s rematch at Day Air Ballpark in downtown Dayton took on a decidedly different attitude from the top of the first inning, when with one out Troy right fielder Logan Akers cracked a double off Butler starter Jackson Schilling. Akers would later score on a groundout by Colton Aikins, and Troy was out to an early 1-0 lead and on their way to a 3-0 victory.
From there the Trojans’ starter made the game a personal referendum on the night before – the walks, poorly executed pitches, and in general, less-than-their best effort. And easy to do when you walk ten.
Reinhardt, a junior righthander who’s been a model of consistency in his previous starts this spring, took matters into his own hands by shutting down 8-0 Butler on just four hits over the next seven innings, striking out ten, and limiting the Aviators to just a first inning scoring threat with a runner on third and one out…and runners on first and second with none out in the sixth.
“I tried to take things one hitter at a time, stay focused and relax. And the defense made plays that gave us momentum.” – Troy pitcher Jake Reinhardt
In the first inning Troy shortstop Brady O’Leary leaped to backhand a line drive in the hole, and then pivot and double off a runner at first base for a 6-3 inning-ending double play.
In the sixth, with runners on first and second and no outs, Reinhardt struck out Aidan White, then retired Jackson Schilling on a fly ball to right in which Logan Akers came up throwing and gunned down the lead runner at third base – one hop and right on the corner of the bag where third baseman Colton Aikens made the tag.
“Give credit to the kid from Troy (Reinhardt),” said Butler coach Trent Dues, afterwards. “He pitched a heckuva game. I thought our two guys pitched well, too. But the times when we got guys on we couldn’t get the hits, so that’s the way it is. It was a great ballgame and a great two-game series. It’s a shame we can’t play a third game.”
Koverman,Staley, Dickerson proudly supports your favorite high school sports on Press Pros Magazine.
Dues was being humble. Reinhardt was, in a word, spectacular for a high school pitcher who doesn’t throw 93 miles per hour. His best fastball was probably 88, but his control and execution of three pitches – fastball, slider, and changeup – kept Butler hitters guessing all night long. Of their ten strikeouts, half were looking at called strike three.
Butler pitcher Jackson Schilling held Troy to 1 run on 6 hits through the first five innings.
And to make his effort more impressive, the game was halted at the end of the second inning for 30 minutes due to lightning and a light rain shower. When play resumed, Reinhardt never missed a beat – as did Butler pitcher Jackson Schilling – but it was apparent that Reinhardt was on a mission to have the competitive moment of his young varsity career.
“I tried to take things one at a time and let my defense work,” said Reinhardt, afterwards.
“I went back to the dugout between innings and focused…relaxed. That really helped me. I was determined that they weren’t going to get in my head.
“And then the plays that Brady made in the first, and Logan made in the sixth…those gave us momentum. The defense helped us secure the win tonight.”
Troy improved to 8-2 on the season, once-beaten in MVL play, with 3 runs on 8 hits and committed one error.
Dave Arbogast is a proud sponsor of area high school sports on Press Pros Magazine.com.
Butler dropped its first game of the season (8-1), with no runs on 4 hits and committed no errors.
“Proud of my guys,” said Troy coach Ty Welker. “I mean, we didn’t play well last night, when you walk ten batters against a team that hasn’t lost yet, much less get shut out.
Troy right fielder Logan Akers threw out this Butler runner at third base to kill a would-be rally in the bottom of the sixth. Third baseman Colton Aikns makes the tag.
“But Jake, as a junior, was great tonight. He’s not overpowering, but he locates well, he mixes well, executes pitches, and keep hitters on their heels. He really pitched well tonight, and that’s a good-hitting baseball team.
“We showed poise tonight, we weren’t overwhelmed by the moment or by playing in this ballpark, and I thought we got away from being ourselves last night. We have a heckuva’ lot of respect for Butler, and there’s always some chirping when we play those guys, but that’s high school baseball, and they’re a good high school baseball team.”
Troy’s Colton Akins sends a shower of dirt to score an insurance run in the Trojans’ fifth inning.
And to Dues’ statement – wishing for a another game as the rubber game in the series – Welker smiled and nodded in agreement.
“I agree with him 1000%,” laughed Welker. “You’re probably not going to get better high school baseball than what you got from these two teams the last two nights.”
So, at the one-third point of the season Troy and Butler have made statements, both obviously capable of playing up to the caliber of competition when the occasion arises.
“They’re a tough team,” Dues admitted, both before and after Tuesday’s game, and maybe with a bit more conviction, afterwards. And veteran baseball men are want to admit when they recognize quality.
Jake Reinhardt…left no doubt!
Wilson Health/Orthopedics proudly sponsors the best in area sports and the Ohio State Buckeyes on Press Pros.