PBR Spotlight Game: No. 1 (D-II) Defiance vs. Lima Shawnee

Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Senior Writer and Northwest scout

SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP - A potential colossal match-up between two of the top high school pitchers in the state, Defiance's Robert Zeigler (ranked No. 5 in 2013 class) and Lima Shawnee's Cory Wilder (ranked No. 1 in 2013 class), did not come to fruition for a couple of reasons on Tuesday. Firstly, Zeigler (University of Kentucky recruit) was not on the bump for Defiance. And secondly, Wilder (North Carolina State recruit) did not pitch to his full potential, thanks to the plate discipline of the Bulldogs.

With their 1A Zeigler not taking the mound, who did the number one team in Division II turn to? That would be their 1B Weston Rivers. The big left-hander showed why he could be an ace on any team's pitching staff.

Rivers (pictured) went the distance allowing his first baserunner in the fifth inning on a two-out single up the middle by Zach Peake. Rivers also walked a batter and plunked another in the seventh, but was helped by some great defense by the Dogs, including a huge 5-3 double play turned by junior third baseman Dom Gentile who has been a vacuum all season.

“The double play was huge,” stated Defiance head coach Tom Held. “Give our guys credit today, we were just very solid defensively.”

Defiance made a few other web gems including one of the best catches I have seen by a high school athlete, thanks in part to a defensive adjustment by Defiance assistant coach Rick Weaver. With Shawnee's Zach Bailey leading off the second, Weaver, after looking at the spray chart for Baily, yelled to center fielder Jacob Green to shade toward the left-center gap. The move paid off as Bailey blasted a long fly to left-center field and Green raced to the gap, making a diving catch before popping up to show the umpire he had the ball.

“That catch by Jacob Green was huge,” said Rivers. " “I thought it was going to be a double, but he made a great diving catch.

"I wanted the ball today," Rivers continued. "I knew Cory Wilder would bring out the scouts, so I wanted to throw strikes and do what I do.”

A Lincoln Trail recruit, Rivers sat in the 83-86 mph ranged on the fastball with some run, but keeping the Indians' hitters off-balance with a devastating knuckleball that would dart every direction. The knuckle sat in the 74-76 mph range while helping Rivers punch out eight batters. 

First-year Shawnee mentor Scott Newman had a few positive thoughts on his team facing Rivers.

“He threw a great game, it’s not often you see a lefty with a knuckleball where the bottom just drops out of it,” said Newman. “He had pretty good control of that pitch, and he was throwing his fastball early in the count for strikes to get ahead. He really put our kids on the defensive and ultimately that led to us not having the kind of at-bats we normally do.”

Rivers ended up throwing 82 pitches on the night, 53 for strikes.Throwing 75 percent first-pitch strikes In the first five innings, the large lefty - nicknamed "Heff" - retired the side in order in four of the seven innings, including striking out the side to start the game.

“Wes has done it all season long,” Held said of Rivers, who is now 6-0 on the season with a 0.33 ERA, striking out 53 in 42 2/3 innings while giving up just 15 hits (.107 average). “You look at his numbers and it’s very easy to say he’s our No. 1 (pitcher). He’s pitched tremendously."

Defiance got the advantage in the first inning as lead-off hitter Austin Hancock drew a full-count walk and moved to second on a ground out before a walk to Zeigler put runners on first and second. Hancock, a Top Prospect Games participant, looked to steal third and in the process the throw by Shawnee catcher Tyler Anderson was high allowing Hancock (pictured below) to score. 
The Bulldogs added two more in the fourth. Back-to-back walks to Rivers and unsigned senior Joe Keween set the stage for unsigned senior Dom Romero. The left-handed hitting Romero laced a double to left scoring both Rivers and Keween to put the Dogs' on top 3-0.

Defiance added two more insurance runs, one in the fifth and one in the seventh. In the fifth, Zeigler led off with a walk, later stealing second, before reaching third on a passed ball. Defiance College recruit Austin Yant (pictured left) then roped a double to plate Zeigler. In the seventh, pinch-hitter Wade Verhoff reached on an error, stole second and reached third on a passed ball. Verhoff scored on a sacrifice fly by Rivers to put Defiance up 5-0.