PLAYING FROM THE HART; SHIELDS PITCHED FOR ALL THE PLAYERS WHO NEVER WON THE TITLE.Byline: Scott Magoloff Daily News Staff Writer Jamie Shields wasn't just playing for himself, or his teammates, or even retiring coach Bud Murray in Saturday's 10-9 Southern Section Division II championship victory against Righetti. He was representing every player that ever wore a Hart uniform. And after the frustration of coming up short in years past, Shields' performance - pitching and hitting - offered redemption for them all. ``It's great to go out a winner, but it's even greater for our players,'' Murray said. ``It's great for every kid that's ever played ball at Hart.'' A perfect example lies in assistant coach Dave Toledo, who was charged with three errors in Hart's 4-1 loss to Cerritos in the Indians' only other finals appearance in 1989. Toledo, then the team's premier infielder in·field·er n. Baseball A player assigned to the infield. Noun 1. infielder - (baseball) a person who plays a position in the infield , had only five errors going into the game. ``This was the greatest experience in my life,'' Toledo said as he thanked the players in the clubhouse after the game. Shields came dangerously close to again leading the Indians down that path of misery their former players and fans know all too well. He came in for starting pitcher Noun 1. starting pitcher - (baseball) a pitcher who starts in a baseball game baseball, baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played baseball in high school"; Justin Wiley in 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. and quickly allowed Righetti to pull to within 8-7 by giving up two runs. Shields (11-0) then retired the next six batters BATTeRS (バッターズ) stands for Bisei Asteroid Tracking Telescope for Rapid Survey. It is a Japanese project to find asteroids. It is associated with the Japanese Spaceguard Association. Members include Takeshi Urata. in order leading up to the seventh inning, which will be looked upon as the defining inning in Shields' prep career to date. The junior stepped into the batter's box Noun 1. batter's box - an area on a baseball diamond (on either side of home plate) marked by lines within which the batter must stand when at bat baseball diamond, infield, diamond - the area of a baseball field that is enclosed by 3 bases and home plate to lead off the top of the seventh with Hart ahead 8-7. He laced his second double of the game and was replaced by pinch runner pinch runner n. Baseball A substitute base runner. Joe Aloisi, who came around to score on Marke Horvat's double. Brandon Montemayor (3 for 4) followed with his second double of the game to score Horvat and put the Indians up 10-7. ``Before I went up, I told myself we got to get runs this inning; we need more runs,'' Shields said. ``With our team, when someone hits the ball it triggers the other players.'' They didn't know it yet, but those two runs for Hart in the top of the seventh meant everything. The Warriors' Eric Verbryke led off the bottom of the inning Noun 1. bottom of the inning - the second half of an inning; while the home team is at bat bottom inning, frame - (baseball) one of nine divisions of play during which each team has a turn at bat with a double, followed by Aaron McKenzie's homer. With no outs and the loud Righetti fans yearning for yet another Hart failure, Shields stepped off and intently circled 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 , gazing around the stands at Edison Field. He induced Jeff Crabtree into a fly out to right field and then retired Lance Camp with a ground out to second base for the first two outs. Then the count to following batter Andrew Beekman went full. Shields took another trip around the mound before setting up on the rubber again. ``I just wanted to settle down. I told myself, I'm going to throw a strike no matter what,'' he said. ``And that's what I did.'' And every Hart player, past or present, no doubt thanks him for that. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Hart pitcher Jamie Shields (11-0) doubled twice, scored once and pitched four innings INNINGS, estates. Lands gained from the sea by draining. Cunn. L. Dict. h. t.; Law of Sewers, 31. of four-strikeout, one-walk ball. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News |
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