HART PACKS 1-2 PUNCH; WORKHORSE PAIR KEY FOR NO. 1 INDIANS.Byline: Heather Gripp Gripp talking raven, beloved pet of half-wit Barnaby Rudge. [Br. Lit.: Dickens Barnaby Rudge] See : Birds Daily News Staff Writer It sounds like it would be easy pitching for a team that routinely pounds out double-figure run totals. But Hart High's duo of Andy Davidson Andy Davidson may refer to:
Davidson, a senior, has thrown 70 innings while Shields, a sophomore, has gone 40. Each has five complete games. ``That's about all we have,'' coach Bud Murray Murray, river, Australia Murray, principal river of Australia, 1,609 mi (2,589 km) long, rising in the Australian Alps, SE New South Wales, and flowing westward to form the New South Wales–Victoria boundary. said, explaining why he's relying on just two pitchers. The results have been tremendous. The Indians INDIANS. The aborigines of this country are so called. 2. In general, Indians have no political rights in the United States; they cannot vote at the general elections for officers, nor hold office. are 22-3 overall and 11-2 in the Foothill League. Shields improved to 7-2 with a three-inning relief stint in Friday's 6-4 victory over Burroughs. Davidson, who started the game, holds a 9-1 record and both maintain an ERA under 2.00. Incredible offensive support made it easy for the pitchers, who are both in their first seasons as Indians' regulars. ``That's helped a lot,'' Shields said of his team's hitting. ``That's just the best thing to have as a pitcher. It's really important.'' Davidson agreed. ``It's great when you pitch and your offense gets like eight runs by the fourth inning in·ning n. 1. a. Baseball One of nine divisions or periods of a regulation game, in which each team has a turn at bat as limited by three outs. b. innings (used with a sing. ,'' he said. ``It really takes the pressure off. It doesn't matter if there's a hit here or a hit there.'' Junior Justin Wiley has recently been getting more work on the mound mound, prehistoric earthwork erected over a burial place as a memorial or landmark, a defensive embankment, or a site for ceremonial or religious rites. Such structures are found in many parts of the world, but the name is applied in particular to those of North , but Davidson and Shields insist they aren't wearing down. ``We usually only play two games a week and trade off. We have like a week's rest, so we aren't real tired,'' Davidson said. ``Now we've found our third guy and he's come through pretty big for us, too. ``I only pitched like 36 innings last year and I've already thrown more than 60 this year. That's pretty much the only difference. I'm the one they go to in a jam now.'' Being the go-to guy is nothing new for the 18-year-old Davidson, who recently committed to play at Cal State Northridge next season. ``I was just the only guy that could throw strikes, so the coach just kept putting me in and putting me in,'' Davidson said, recalling his start as a pitcher in Little League. ``When I was like 11 or 12, someone told my parents I had potential, so I started going to a pitching coach and that's when I started taking it more seriously.'' The 6-foot-1, 179-pound left-hander's primary weapon is his fastball, but he also features a commanding curve as well as a cut fastball cut fastball n. Baseball A fastball released with most pressure from the tip of the middle finger so that it breaks slightly in the manner of a curve ball as it approaches the plate. he started throwing this year. ``He has good movement on his ball,'' Shields said. ``I want to throw as good as he does.'' Davidson spent his junior season as Hart's No. 3 pitcher behind seniors Bobby Graves and Brian Hernandez. Working with Graves, who now pitches for Oklahoma University, helped prepare him for this season. ``I watched what he did and tried to do the same,'' Davidson said. ``I watched every move he made. Even though he's in Oklahoma we still talk all the time.'' Davidson has returned the favor this season by taking Shields under his wing. ``He's helped me a lot,'' Shields said. ``He's helped me learn how to battle, how to control pitches. He's just taught me how to pitch at the varsity level. Now every time I go out there, I just want to battle. ``The main thing I've learned from him is I can't do it all by myself. He reminded me I have eight guys behind me and I should just concentrate on throwing strikes.'' Finding the strike zone hasn't been a problem for the hard-throwing right-hander, who used to model himself after one of the Major League's top strikeout strike·out n. Baseball Abbr. K or SO An out made by a batter charged with three strikes and credited to the pitcher who threw the strikes. Noun 1. pitchers, Roger Clemens William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962, in Dayton, Ohio), is a starting pitcher for the New York Yankees, and is one of the preeminent pitchers in Major League history. In 2006, a poll of 32 ESPN analysts named Clemens the greatest living pitcher. . Through 40 innings, Shields has 41 strikeouts. ``He's a pretty strong kid,'' Murray said. ``He throws the ball good.'' Pitching runs in Shields' family - his older brother, Jeremy, pitches for College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. - but the 16-year-old didn't begin concentrating solely on pitching until last season. ``He's done a tremendous job even though he's young,'' Davidson said. ``He'll be good when he's older. He's good now, but he'll be amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. then.'' Shields hasn't seen as much action since Wiley joined the rotation, but the first-year varsity player isn't disappointed. ``When playoffs come, we're going to need a lot of pitching,'' he said. ``We'll all be working then.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Pitchers Andy Davidson and Jamie Shields have carried the pitching load for Hart this season. Davidson is 9-1, Shields 7-2. Hans Gutknecht/Daily News |
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