Bay City, Michigan 48706
Front Page 03/28/2024 16:20 About us
www.mybaycity.com May 28, 2008
(Prior Story)   Sports ArTicle 2657   (Next Story)

Tyler Masters Is Master of the Mound in NELL

Masters Throws 85 Pitches of NO-HIT ball through 5 2/3 innings

May 28, 2008       Leave a Comment
By: Kevin Leahy

Printer Friendly Story View



Tyler Masters shows his NO-Hitter follow-through form.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)

Tyler Masters was enjoying the cold Tuesday night at North East Little league as he was red hot on the mound and the batters were stone cold at the plate.

Tyler Masters can't believe he's being rung up on strike three before taking the mound in the fifth with a no hitter intact.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)

Masters, age 12, was on the mound for Tuthill Brothers Party Store throwing a no-hitter going into the fifth inning against Kiwanis Club.

"He only has seven pitches left," said one of his coach's, Jim Majchrzak as the kids took the field in the bottom of the fifth. "Make em' count Tyler," cheered his coach as Masters was leaving the dug out.

With the score 5-1 Masters was in control as he struck out the first two batters, unfortunately he used all seven of his pitches and had to give up the mound and his potential full-game no-no.

The umpire was busy ringing up the strikes as Masters fired twelve K's against Kiwanis Club.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)

Little League of America instituted the pitch limit rule this year to protect the arms of our young prodigies. Twelve year olds can only throw 85 pitches a game then they have to wait two days and a game before they can return to the mound.

"When we started to keep track of pitches, we realized some kids were throwing over 130 a game," said Majchrzak.

It is the responsibility of the scorekeeper in the press box to keep the pitch count and they have a numbers pad hanging out of the announcers' booth showing the amount of pitches they have left to throw.

Masters did not want to relinquish the mound when his coach took the field to make the change. Without saying a word, the look on his face begged his coach to leave him in to complete the game.

Rules are rules, and in a good show of discipline this rule was not getting bent as Masters knew his time was up, he clutched the baseball one more time took a long look at it and then handed it to his approaching coach who summoned the third baseman Cody Strouss to relieve his ace.

Masters traded positions with Strouss at the hot corner after 85 pitches, 12 strike outs, three walks and one unearned run after a walk, a passed ball and an error, all the while allowing no hits.

Cody Strouss (13) went in for Masters (14) after 5 2/3 innings of no-hit pitching. Masters went on to make two key put-outs in the final inning to preserve Tuthill's win.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)

Although being knocked for five runs because of good hits and aggressive base running, Derek Lambert of Kiwanis Club was also throwing good hard strikes and keeping his team in the game.

Derek Lambert is bringing it from way back to produce more speed while on the mound for Kiwanis Club.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)

Strouss got Tuthil'ls out of the inning with his own strike out as he and Masters retired the side.

Coach Majchrzak (Jim) gives his team a pep talk before the final inning.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)

Tuthill's got one more in the top of the sixth from a single, a passed ball and a throwing error, then it was time for Strouss to finish the combined no-no.

Number 12 for Kiwanis was the first batter and quickly spoiled the no hitter with a shot down the right field line for a triple. He soon scored after a passed ball while the next two batters got hits and quickly the no hitter turned into a 6-3-nail biter with no outs.

With a man on second, Masters was hit a shot to third where he quickly scooped the one hopper checked the runner and fired to first for the first out.

The next batter hit a looper to left and put men on first and third with Lambert, the tying run coming to the plate.

Cody Strouss gets one by Derek Lambert (14) in the final inning.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)

After fouling a couple off Strouss snuck a fast ball by the hard swinging Lambert for strike three.

The catcher showed great hustle although Kiwanis Club made a game of it as #12 scores on a passed ball to make it 6-2.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)

The next batter fired a hard shot towards the gap between third and short when Masters came across the infield to get a glove on it to knock it down while on his knee's but couldn't hold on. He stuck with the play reached down grabbed the ball, squared himself and fired a perfect shot to his first baseman that beat the hitter by a half a step.

Comeback over, as Tuthill's held on for a 6-3 win.

Jacob Brinkman in his follow through while on the mound in NELL action.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)



Over on the minor league field the well blanket wrapped parents were enjoying they're children's game between Kaufman Builders and Firehouse Car Wash, as much as they could in the 48 degree windy weather.

Lisa and Greg Poirier show their encouragement and enthusiasm for their son Cody and his team.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)

Unlike the pitchers duel on the majors field, strikes and hittable pitches were harder to come by in the minors game.

Firehouse Car Wash made the best of the good pitches they seen as they tallied a 15-4 win in the stiff cold breeze.

Cody responds to his parents support and gives them something to cheer about as he blazed a line shot past shortstop.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)

Tom Weller (umpire) watches one come in as the Kaufman Builders player is either dodging an errant pitch or showing off his new one handed batting style.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)

Everything was hot at the concession stand, as both teams clamored for hot dogs and hot chocolate after the game.

"We have the best hot dogs in the city," said Kaufman Builders parent and often volunteer, Dave Walsh as he busily waited on both teams after the game.

Dave Walsh often volunteers in the concession stand at NELL. "We have the best hot dogs in the city," he stated.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)

As for the excitement on the faces of the kids at the window, sometimes their treat after the game is more important than the score of the game, there were no hard feelings there and that's what sportsmanship is all about.

The reward after the game in minor leagues can be sweeter than the victory sometimes.
(MyBayCity Photo by Kevin Leahy)



Printer Friendly Story View
Prior Article

February 10, 2020
by: Rachel Reh
Family Winter Fun Fest is BACC Hot Spot for 2/10/2020
Next Article

February 2, 2020
by: Kathy Rupert-Mathews
MOVIE REVIEW: "Just Mercy" ... You Will Shed Tears, or at Least You Should
Agree? or Disagree?


Kevin Leahy

Kevin Leahy has an interest in all sports-related activities at the Local, State and National levels. Looking for the inside story? Leahy's got it . . .

More from Kevin Leahy

Send This Story to a Friend!       Letter to the editor       Link to this Story
Printer-Friendly Story View


--- Advertisments ---
     


0200 Nd: 03-24-2024 d 4 cpr 0






12/31/2020 P3v3-0200-Ad.cfm

SPONSORED LINKS



12/31/2020 drop ads P3v3-0200-Ad.cfm


Designed at OJ Advertising, Inc. (V3) (v3) Software by Mid-Michigan Computer Consultants
Bay City, Michigan USA
All Photographs and Content Copyright © 1998 - 2024 by OJA/MMCC. They may be used by permission only.
P3V3-0200 (1) 0   ID:Default   UserID:Default   Type:reader   R:x   PubID:mbC   NewspaperID:noPaperID
  pid:1560   pd:11-18-2012   nd:2024-03-24   ax:2024-03-28   Site:5   ArticleID:2657   MaxA: 999999   MaxAA: 999999
claudebot