By Beth Arnold
It is rare today for a pitcher to toss a complete game. Earning a win is rarer still, and a complete game shutout is almost unheard of. Front Royal Cardinal Shane Scott, a junior who has played his last two years at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas and will be playing for Arkansas Tech University in the fall, achieved that pinnacle of pitching last Friday, June 28th against the Winchester Royals.
Over the last two years, Scott pitched 101.3 innings for the Greyhounds. He earned 91 strikeouts, a 4.44 ERA and a record of 12-5. His impressive record must have prepared him for the game, because Scott was focused and dominant on the mound against the Royals that evening. On his way to the shutout, he allowed only five hits: four singles and one double, while striking out seven and issuing only one walk. He had four 1-2-3 innings during the game, and never faced more than five batters in a frame. The defense was sharp behind him, and the Royals never saw a runner get past second base. He needed only 114 pitches, 78 which were strikes, to complete the game.
Scott had already pitched 26.2 innings before the Royals game and had a record of one win and one loss. When asked about the game, Scott explained he prepared as he normally would with resistance bands and different types of running. He normally throws three pitches, a two-seam fastball, a slider and a changeup and all were hitting their mark during the game. He said he didn’t have to make any significant adjustments during the game nor focus on the looming shutout. He did have an inkling he might be able to pitch the complete game, since his pitch count was fairly low. He drew on his experience of throwing a complete game shutout in high school, although admitted that throwing a complete game shutout at this level felt “good.”
Coach Hurla praised his pitcher’s effort saying, “Shane Scott was a stud for us on the mound. A complete game shutout is special.”
The Cardinals are back in action tonight at Waynesboro.
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