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Anthony Shields' role as a pitcher has evolved from closer to starter over the past three years.
That reliever's mentality of knowing every pitch counts in the late innings of a tight game has served him well, especially this season. When he pitches, every inning is the seventh. As an ace, he's battling against everyone else's best.
The Edgewood senior has made five starts for the 10-9 Mustangs. Once past his opener in which he was on a pitch count (80), he's been outstanding in four straight one-run games, piling up 27 innings, tossing between 104-110 pitches each time, never giving up more than two runs or five hits while striking out 54 and walking just 18.
More: What to watch at Bloomington, Bedford area IHSAA softball sectionals
"I think honestly my freshman and sophomore years really helped me develop that strong mentality," Shields said. "In those late games, most of the time come in my early years, it was a one- or two-run ballgame, and I'd have to get the save or we'd lose.
"When I pitch, I know going to be a low-scoring game. We're not the best offensive team, so knowing I have to take it pitch by pitch."
The Mustangs lost two of those starts to Bloomington South (5-4) and Bedford North Lawrence (3-2), both times the winning run scoring after he had to leave after six innings.
Lesson learned. He was especially efficent in his last two outings, a pair of 2-1 wins over West Vigo and Owen Valley, with 30 strikeouts and just two walks over 15 innings.
He's got a nice strikeout total, but the goal is to keep the ball low and try to induce ground balls while getting an out in the fewest pitches possible.
"Something that really really helps me is limiting the amount of pitches I throw to a single guy," Shields said. "I really try to keep it to four. So first-pitch strikes are huge. You're instantly ahead of the batter, and so those things have helped me dominate this year."
But because the win over West Vigo went 10 innings, Shields is just 1-0 this year. He does, however, have a nifty 1.35 ERA he'll take into the Northview Sectional this week.
"It's been a combination of things, us making errors and him early throwing a lot of pitches," Edgewood coach Bob Jones said. "But in his last two games, he's not gone to as many 3-2 counts as he did early in the year.
"That was something that bothered me early in the year with the whole staff, not throwing strikes. But he's been a lot more competitive in throwing more strikes. And the last two or three games, he's been hitting the ball better. The kid is very, very competitive. He's in it to the end."
Shields is a baseball lifer.
"Since I was allowed to play," Shields said. "Even before then I was swinging a wiffle ball bat in the backyard."
In that regard, there an old-school, Ken Burns-like feel to his love for baseball.
"I think it's just the natural beauty of the game," he said. "It's something my dad and me talk about all time. It's a timeless game with a natural beauty to it. A dewy morning and the late evening with the lights on."
Shields jumped head-first into travel ball and pitching clinics. He had an arm and began pitching right away. It didn't take long to make it a passion and to earn a chance to play in college at NAIA program IU-Kokomo.
"He's known for a long time he's wanted to play college ball," Jones said. "So he knows what he needs to do, in the weight room or whatever, to get to what he needs to be."
He started picking up the tools he'd need to be a conference starter as a closer. His first outing didn't go so well, but he picked up three saves as a sophomore. As a junior, he put in 31 innings with a mixture of starts and relief appearances with a 3.26 ERA.
"It's been a pretty long process," Shields said. "In my own way, it's well-deserved. As a freshman and sophomore, I was a middle reliever, end reliever guy in almost every other game.
"So I spent the first two years proving myself to be a guy who is reliable and get the job done in those situations."
The early trust he earned was a big boost, and he enjoys being the pitcher on which Edgewood now leans the most.
"That's something really cool I've been working really hard for," Shields said. "Ultimately, it's gotten me to be able to play collegiately."
Still, battling for one or two innings and seven or eight are two different matters.
I know that I've always had a strong mentality," Shields said. "I know that guy is not going to beat me, and that I have a solid defense behind me, so just execute the pitch, just get it across the plate and it'll work out.
"Just really keep it in my own hands, never let the ump or other team take over. I'm the pitcher; it's my game. Keep control of those things and it'll work out in the end."
Shields patrols center or right field when he's not pitching, his strong arm an asset out there. He's raised his batting average from .250 last year to .304 and has stolen six bases since being moved to the top part of the lineup.
"I struggled early, but I've found my swing," Shields said. "I never had a big role offensively, but I'm starting to swing well, and I'm starting to produce."
That's been another big factor, along with his leadership, for a team with several new starters.
"He's one of those guys who get the other guys going," Jones said. "It's always fun to watch him in the weight room. When his partner is lifting, they're listening to music and he's dancing around and things like that to keep things loose."
Said Shields, "We have a really young team, so they just need a boost to keep them in line. They have a sense of respect for me since I've been playing for so long. I can get on them and not to be mean about it, but, 'Hey, we've got to get back to work.'
"So it's nice that I do have a sense of respect on team. We're like family now."
More: No matter where she plays, Ella Sproul has been a hit for Edgewood softball
The Mustangs are 3-5 in games decided by three runs or fewer. That's tested them at times, but Shields is also confident that has prepared them for what lies ahead. Edgewood has the toughest path to the final, opening with a 13-8 Cascade squad, then, if it's successful, having to face the host Knights (14-7) in the semis the next day.
"We've struggled with lot of close games," Shields said. "A lot of walk-offs. But that's allowed us to be ready for the hardest games. We've kind of been there all season."
Shields, it must feel like, has been there for three years.
"The kids rally around him," Jones said. "You'd like to see more guys like him out here. The physical part we know we can do something about, but I can't control your mental approach.
"Academically, he's a good kid. He's a kid you don't want to see leave, but you do because you know he's going to be successful. He's competitive in everything. That's his nature. Keeping us in the game is what Anthony does."
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Edgewood baseball pitcher Anthony Shields is 'in it to the end'
Continue reading...
That reliever's mentality of knowing every pitch counts in the late innings of a tight game has served him well, especially this season. When he pitches, every inning is the seventh. As an ace, he's battling against everyone else's best.
The Edgewood senior has made five starts for the 10-9 Mustangs. Once past his opener in which he was on a pitch count (80), he's been outstanding in four straight one-run games, piling up 27 innings, tossing between 104-110 pitches each time, never giving up more than two runs or five hits while striking out 54 and walking just 18.
More: What to watch at Bloomington, Bedford area IHSAA softball sectionals
"I think honestly my freshman and sophomore years really helped me develop that strong mentality," Shields said. "In those late games, most of the time come in my early years, it was a one- or two-run ballgame, and I'd have to get the save or we'd lose.
"When I pitch, I know going to be a low-scoring game. We're not the best offensive team, so knowing I have to take it pitch by pitch."
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The Mustangs lost two of those starts to Bloomington South (5-4) and Bedford North Lawrence (3-2), both times the winning run scoring after he had to leave after six innings.
Lesson learned. He was especially efficent in his last two outings, a pair of 2-1 wins over West Vigo and Owen Valley, with 30 strikeouts and just two walks over 15 innings.
He's got a nice strikeout total, but the goal is to keep the ball low and try to induce ground balls while getting an out in the fewest pitches possible.
"Something that really really helps me is limiting the amount of pitches I throw to a single guy," Shields said. "I really try to keep it to four. So first-pitch strikes are huge. You're instantly ahead of the batter, and so those things have helped me dominate this year."
But because the win over West Vigo went 10 innings, Shields is just 1-0 this year. He does, however, have a nifty 1.35 ERA he'll take into the Northview Sectional this week.
"It's been a combination of things, us making errors and him early throwing a lot of pitches," Edgewood coach Bob Jones said. "But in his last two games, he's not gone to as many 3-2 counts as he did early in the year.
"That was something that bothered me early in the year with the whole staff, not throwing strikes. But he's been a lot more competitive in throwing more strikes. And the last two or three games, he's been hitting the ball better. The kid is very, very competitive. He's in it to the end."
You must be registered for see images attach
From the beginning
Shields is a baseball lifer.
"Since I was allowed to play," Shields said. "Even before then I was swinging a wiffle ball bat in the backyard."
In that regard, there an old-school, Ken Burns-like feel to his love for baseball.
"I think it's just the natural beauty of the game," he said. "It's something my dad and me talk about all time. It's a timeless game with a natural beauty to it. A dewy morning and the late evening with the lights on."
Shields jumped head-first into travel ball and pitching clinics. He had an arm and began pitching right away. It didn't take long to make it a passion and to earn a chance to play in college at NAIA program IU-Kokomo.
"He's known for a long time he's wanted to play college ball," Jones said. "So he knows what he needs to do, in the weight room or whatever, to get to what he needs to be."
He started picking up the tools he'd need to be a conference starter as a closer. His first outing didn't go so well, but he picked up three saves as a sophomore. As a junior, he put in 31 innings with a mixture of starts and relief appearances with a 3.26 ERA.
"It's been a pretty long process," Shields said. "In my own way, it's well-deserved. As a freshman and sophomore, I was a middle reliever, end reliever guy in almost every other game.
"So I spent the first two years proving myself to be a guy who is reliable and get the job done in those situations."
The early trust he earned was a big boost, and he enjoys being the pitcher on which Edgewood now leans the most.
"That's something really cool I've been working really hard for," Shields said. "Ultimately, it's gotten me to be able to play collegiately."
You must be registered for see images
'He's competitive in everything'
Still, battling for one or two innings and seven or eight are two different matters.
I know that I've always had a strong mentality," Shields said. "I know that guy is not going to beat me, and that I have a solid defense behind me, so just execute the pitch, just get it across the plate and it'll work out.
"Just really keep it in my own hands, never let the ump or other team take over. I'm the pitcher; it's my game. Keep control of those things and it'll work out in the end."
Rallying his teammates
Shields patrols center or right field when he's not pitching, his strong arm an asset out there. He's raised his batting average from .250 last year to .304 and has stolen six bases since being moved to the top part of the lineup.
"I struggled early, but I've found my swing," Shields said. "I never had a big role offensively, but I'm starting to swing well, and I'm starting to produce."
That's been another big factor, along with his leadership, for a team with several new starters.
"He's one of those guys who get the other guys going," Jones said. "It's always fun to watch him in the weight room. When his partner is lifting, they're listening to music and he's dancing around and things like that to keep things loose."
Said Shields, "We have a really young team, so they just need a boost to keep them in line. They have a sense of respect for me since I've been playing for so long. I can get on them and not to be mean about it, but, 'Hey, we've got to get back to work.'
"So it's nice that I do have a sense of respect on team. We're like family now."
More: No matter where she plays, Ella Sproul has been a hit for Edgewood softball
The Mustangs are 3-5 in games decided by three runs or fewer. That's tested them at times, but Shields is also confident that has prepared them for what lies ahead. Edgewood has the toughest path to the final, opening with a 13-8 Cascade squad, then, if it's successful, having to face the host Knights (14-7) in the semis the next day.
"We've struggled with lot of close games," Shields said. "A lot of walk-offs. But that's allowed us to be ready for the hardest games. We've kind of been there all season."
Shields, it must feel like, has been there for three years.
"The kids rally around him," Jones said. "You'd like to see more guys like him out here. The physical part we know we can do something about, but I can't control your mental approach.
"Academically, he's a good kid. He's a kid you don't want to see leave, but you do because you know he's going to be successful. He's competitive in everything. That's his nature. Keeping us in the game is what Anthony does."
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Edgewood baseball pitcher Anthony Shields is 'in it to the end'
Continue reading...
