Bridgewater Reds pitcher Shayne Sisler was on fire from the mound early in the game, then Clover Hill found the chill zone and put the freeze on the Reds 15-11 in Bridgewater at Ray Heatwole Field.
It was an East Hardy High School alumni battery tandem as Sisler worked the mound along with fellow former Cougars catcher Brett Tharp, who was an Old Dominion Athletic Conference All-American baseball and football player for the Bridgewater College Eagles.
Tharp is one of the veterans for the Reds in his 8th season and has been Mr. Utility playing in the outfield, infield, pitcher and catcher without holding the moniker of Grandpa Red as another teammate has that title being on the squad for 15 years, but was the oldest for this particular contest with the Bucks.
Sisler is one of the younger members on the team and just graduated high school and cherishes the advice and guidance from Tharp.
The Cougars contingent was smaller for this game Sisler’s classmates Evan and Mason Hamilton were on vacation.
Clover Hill is one of the top teams in the Rockingham Baseball League this season and was kept in check most of the game by Sisler and the Reds defense before the Bucks started to hammer the ball to jump ahead and staved off a late comeback
The Reds are one of the founding members of the RCBL which was founded in 1924 and is the second oldest continuously running summer baseball league in the nation behind Major League Baseball.
Talent from the RCBL has punched tickets to the big show.
Sisler and the Hamilton twins elevated the Cougars to the state title last year and a state quarterfinal berth this season and the Reds took notice inviting them to return to Bridgewater this summer.
The Reds consider the East Hardy crew like family and has been following their Mountain State success.
Bridgewater provides family friendly atmosphere with free admission and treats for the kids returning foul balls.
One little kid got water bottles for his favorite player during the game, so the experience at Ray Heatwole Field is special.
Bridgewater built a 4-0 advantage in the second inning, while Sisler kept dealing on the mound keeping the Bucks off the board in his fourth start of the season.
Tharp was hit by a pitch and scored on a bases loaded walk to Will Knicely.
The Reds scored thrice more on two walks sandwiching an error.
Sisler hurled five strikeouts and issued three free passes with 10 hits over five innings.
“It is great. A lot of great guys and the competition is good. I like having the chance to continue on playing after high school among good competition. It is good times here. [Pitching] If they aren’t hitting it and get lucky sometimes, then it doesn’t really matter. It is pretty cool playing with Brett Tharp, because I grew up watching him play baseball for East Hardy and now having him as a catcher is cool. I go with what he says most of the time, because he was an All-American baseball player at Bridgewater College and he knows what he is talking about. I just go with the flow of the day and don’t have any pre-game ritual,” Bridgewater Reds pitcher Shayne Sisler remarked.
Clover Hill started a rally in the third inning, then the Reds responded with two runs in the fourth inning for a 6-3 edge.
Clover Hill tagged Sisler for a two-run dinger in a five run, fifth inning onslaught to grab an 8-6 lead.
Bridgewater snatched back a run in the bottom of the frame, then the Bucks horned up two more runs in the sixth inning against the Reds bullpen pitching.
Tharp made a nice tag at home plate to deny one run for the Bucks.
Tharp sent a bunt flying towards first base and was able to slide into first base before the Bucks first baseman had time to dash back over for the tag, but was stranded on the pond.
“It means a lot. I never played with him [Sisler] in high school, but it is good having him come out here to play this summer from East Hardy. I pitched in college, so I know a little bit and can help him out on the mound. He takes it into consideration and throws a lot better. He doesn’t shake off too much. I am back there and can see their swings, so he usually pitches what I call. I am the oldest tonight, but we have a player who has been here 15 years. [Bunt] The first baseman made a good play and moved faster than I expected, so I knew I had to slide to make something happen. We didn’t have all our guys here tonight, but we played hard and our pitching did great. We just kept battling and came up a little short against one of the best teams,” Bridgewater Reds catcher Brett Tharp stated.
After a scoreless 7th inning, Clover Hill smashed five runs for a 15-7 lead.
Burke and Lee (2) pitched one strikeout apiece for the Reds over the last three innings.
Clover Hill utilized five pitchers overall with Hill taking the win with three strikeouts, while Lloyd recorded a game-high six K’s.
Bridgewater refused to go down quietly with an answer of four runs in a last ditch effort to comeback only to fall short 15-11.
Batman received a walk for the Reds with two outs, then Tharp reached base on an error and dashed to second base on the sequence.
Another walk loaded the bases for Yankey to slap a two-run producing double and Knicely tapped an RBI single slicing the deficit to 15-11.
The game time limit of three hours was met, so the 9th inning couldn’t be played and the Bucks took the win in eight frames, 15-11.
The Reds look forward to having the Hamilton twins back in the line-up, especially Mason with the 10-game hitting streak as Bridgewater makes a push into the playoffs.
