Sussex Tech senior southpaw Jeremy Vest threw just 59 pitches in seven innings, allowing no runs on one hit and one walk while striking out eight in his team’s 2-0 home win over Smyrna last Thursday. Kobe Tindley collected two hits including a double and Gavin Hudson homered in the Ravens’ victory.
“Everything felt good, everything was working,” Vest said of his first complete game. He added that he had command of his slider, giving him more than two pitches in his arsenal.
Senior pitcher Jeremy Vest allowed one hit and one walk and struck out eight in seven shutout innings in Sussex Tech’s 2-0 home win over Smyrna last Thursday. Photo by Mike McClure
Vest’s lone walk came in the top of the first inning, but he picked off the runner resulting in a tag out at second base. Sussex Tech’s Rosnell Lewis reached on an infield single in the bottom of the inning but was thrown out attempting to steal second.
Vest struck out the side in the top of the second. In the bottom of the second, Brock O’Day was hit by pitch and Tindley hit a two-out single before a ground out left the pair on base.
Vest struck out the side again in the third, giving him six straight strikeouts. Smyrna put a runner on base in the top of the fourth following an error, but Vest and the Ravens’ defense stranded the runner.
The Ravens took the lead in the bottom of the inning on Hudson’s solo home run, his first of the season.
“It’s always good to help the pitcher out (with runs),” said Hudson, who is also a pitcher. Hudson homered on the first pitch of the at-bat.
Smyrna’s Chase Pritchett collected his team’s first hit of the game in the fifth before being left on base. Vest got some more run support in the bottom of the fifth when Tindley hit a leadoff double, moved up on a sac bunt by Zane Adams, and scored on a wild pitch. Vest sent the Eagles down in order in the sixth, recording his eighth strikeout.
Sussex Tech threatened in the bottom of the sixth when Hudson drew a one-out walk and O’Day reached on an error. They were left on base following a pair of strikeouts. Vest sent the Smyrna batters down in order in the seventh to secure the win.
“We’ve got to keep the sticks going. I feel like we have a very good pitching staff this year,” Hudson said.
