Byron bats, Andrew Talbert pitching too much for Oregon

STILLMAN VALLEY – Byron was firing on all cylinders Saturday in the regional title game against Oregon.

The Tigers offense racked up 10 hits and scored in all but one inning, and Andrew Talbert struck out nine in a one-hitter as Byron defeated the Hawks 10-0 in five innings in the Class 2A Stillman Valley Regional final.

“We came in today knowing what we’re eventually trying to get done by the end of the year, and this is the next step, just one game at a time to get to where we want to be. We had to win this game to get the next one,” Byron’s Kaden McGough said. “I feel like our approach hasn’t really changed: we want to put our best swings on it until it’s two strikes, then we’ve just got to fight. Basically, we just did what we’ve been doing all year.”

[ Photos from 2A Stillman Valley Regional final ]

McGough had a triple and a pair of RBI singles, including the walk-off base hit to end the game by the 10-run rule in the bottom of the fifth. Caden Considine added a single, a triple and four runs scored, and Talbert helped his own cause with a two-run home run and scored twice. Seven Tigers had hits, and six different guys scored runs.

“It’s pretty much a slugfest every game for us on offense, and it gives us confidence as pitchers to have that run support and also that strong defense behind us,” Talbert said. “We’re nervous before the game – and nervous is good, it means you care – but when you step out on the field, everything goes away with that first pitch.”

Byron (31-4) scored three runs in the first on an error and RBI singles by McGough and Weston Auker, but Oregon starter Jack Washburn limited the damage with a pair of bases-loaded strikeouts to end the inning.

After a quick 1-2-3 top of the second, the Tigers scored on another error and a sacrifice fly by Nolan Brass for a 5-0 lead.

“It’s awesome to get those runs early. We’ve got a really explosive offense, and we can go for a bunch of runs in any given inning, and we pride ourselves in that,” Considine said. “But it all helps to keep the pitcher calm, and Andrew threw very well today. He just did what he does and worked fast.

“It’s great to be in the field and know that a quick inning means you get to keep that momentum you built up from hitting the last inning, so it’s nice to get back in as quick as you can and start hitting again.”

Byron scored three more runs in the fourth on Talbert’s homer and Kole Aken’s RBI single, then finished it in the fifth with another run scored on an error and McGough’s game-ending RBI single.

“When you start winning like that – that’s 28 in a row for them now – you start believing everything is going to go in your favor and all the balls are going to fall in,” Oregon coach Nate Girton said. “They hit the ball hard, and Talbert’s a dang good pitcher, so you have to do everything right. You have to field every ball that you possibly can and you can’t have errors. Those happen though, and that’s baseball.”

Washburn struck out three, walked three and hit two batters, but only four of the 10 runs were earned thanks to five Oregon errors. He also had the Hawks’ lone hit, a one-out single in the fourth, then a balk moved him to second and Keaton Salsbury to third.

But Talbert struck out the next two hitters to end that threat. He allowed just four baserunners and threw 45 of his 66 pitches for strikes. He also walked two and hit a batter to go with his nine strikeouts.

“I struggled with balls and strikes a little, and that happens sometimes. I just had to work around that, and just keep going, throw pitch after pitch,” Talbert said. “My two-seam [fastball] was good, and I like painting the outside and then running it in when they’re not expecting it. My slider was a good ahead-in-the-count pitch, too.”

Byron advances to the 2A Mendota Sectional, where it will face the winner of Saturday night’s Johnsburg Regional final between the host Skyhawks and North Boone.

Oregon’s season ends in the regional final for the first time in 12 years, and Girton can see the progress the program is making.

“I think it’s a good step for us. I think the last time we got to the regional final was 2013, and to get a first regional-game win the other day was good,” he said. “I think you look at this year, we were competitive. We didn’t get blown out a lot, and we had a six-game losing streak where we barely lost a few games that could have gone either way. That’s the difference between a 20-win season and a 15-win season; you’ve got to win the close ones. But I do think we’re going in the right direction, it’s just a long process.”