By SETH STASKEY

For The Intelligencer

SHADYSIDE — Shadyside began what it hopes will be a lengthy tournament journey Saturday at sun-splashed Fleming Field.

Behind impressive pitching and just enough offense, the top-seeded Tigers dispatched Tuscarawas Central Catholic, 3-0, to advance to Wednesday’s Division IV sectional co-final where they will take on the winner of Steubenville Catholic and Conotton Valley. The Crusaders were leading the Rockets 13-6 when the game was suspended until Monday after a couple of stoppages due to weather.

“We adjusted at the plate after a couple of times through the order and eventually came around and Rhys (Francis) was outstanding on the mound,” Shadyside head coach Shawn Selmon said. “We’re excited to be moving on. Now, we’ll get back in the cage, do some work the next couple of days and get ready to go for whoever we play.”

The Tigers (18-3) and Saints traded zeroes through the opening four innings. Actually, both teams made it through three innings by facing the minimum number of hitters.

In the bottom of the fifth, talented senior Bryce Amos led off the inning with his second base hit of the day.

He stole second and moved up to third a couple of hitters later on a groundout.

Selmon opted to call on Cole Micker to pinch hit, creating a lefty against righty matchup. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Micker looped a single into shallow right just over the out-stretched glove of the Saints second baseman, giving the Tigers the 1-0 lead.

“We thought that if our DH, who is a lefty, didn’t have a good at-bat against their kid, we’d go to a right-handed hitter,” Selmon said. “Micker really came through.

“He’s a great player and he’s played a lot for us this year.”

Staked to the lead, Francis didn’t take his foot off the gas. He promptly retired TCC in order, including two more strikeouts.

In the home half of the sixth, the Tigers added a few insurance runs.

Francis ripped a one-out double down the line in left and was brought around to score on a single by senior Mason VanNest, who moved all the way to third when the ball was mishandled in the outfield.

VanNest, a sprint standout for the Tigers’ track team, raced home on a delayed steal to cap the scoring.

In the seventh, TCC’s Chase Harper doubled to the fence in right center with one out. After Francis’ 13th and final strikeout of the game, Saints pitcher Jacob Renicker was plunked, bringing the tying run to the plate. Again, Francis didn’t flinch. He induced a popup to Alex Baker at first to finish the complete game.

“We’re fortunate because we have like four aces on our pitching staff, and I’ll throw any of them against anyone,” Selmon explained. “This type of effort (from Francis) is what we’ve come to expect from these guys.”

Renicker, a solid southpaw, pitched extremely well for the Saints and deserved a better fate. He struck out five and didn’t issue a free pass.