State Baseball Tournament: Barnett and Wilhite pitch Shady Spring past Robert C. Byrd

Wilhite's 2-RBI single provides all the runs the Tigers needed in a 2-1 win over the Eagles

Tuesday night Robert C. Byrd starter Xavier Carvelli was on point in the quarterfinal battle with Shady Spring.

Unfortunately for the Eagles ace, the Tiger duo of Sam Barnett and Tyler Wilhite was just a little sharper.

The Shady Spring "Fire and Ice" duo limited RCB to just one run in a 2-1 win for the Tigers.

Shady advances to the semifinals Friday where it will battle St. Albans in the second game of the morning session (approximately 12:30pm).

Shady Spring head coach Kendrick Epling discussed the won over RCB.

Hits were scarce Tuesday night and runs even more so as the pitchers and defense dominated the game.

Shady Spring made the first splash in the bottom of the second inning and it started with the bottom third of the line-up setting the table for what was the decisive blow of the game.

Jacob Claypool worked a one-out walk ahead of Spencer Morgan who singled down the left-field line.

In an obvious sacrifice bunt situation, Kaden Lester did the Tigers one better. The sophomore standout dropped a dime down the third base line that settled just inside the third base line for an infield single.

With a big-time opportunity staring him in the face, fellow sophomore Tyler Wilhite cashed in for the Tigers with a solid single scoring Claypool and Morgan for a 2-0 lead.

The Eagles answered quickly slicing the advantage in half in the top of the third inning when a one-out double by Ashton Shaffer scored Cooper Floyd.

Fortunately for Shady Spring, that was the bulk of the damage for the Eagles as the threat ended with a fly out and ground out back to Barnett.

The Tigers held serve the rest of the way aided strongly by it's defense.

Landon Frazier led off the 5th-inning for RCB with a single, but was caught stealing on a dart from catcher Eli Naylor. Wilhite finished off the inning with a pair of strikeouts.

Colyn Smith put his body on the line an inning later, knocking down a missile hit to first base by Jaxson Maglowski, diving to the first base bag, beating the runner. Smith then recorded out three unassisted on a ground ball.

Noah Fox continued the stellar defensive play by Shady when he ranged over in the gap between shortstop and third base, making the long throw across the diamond for the second out of the final frame.

The Eagles did not go quietly into the night.

Frazier reached on a dropped third strike wild pitch and moved to third base on a single from Floyd.

The Tigers, however, had one more defensive gem in its pocket.

A sharp ground ball to third base was gathered by Barnett who fired a strike to Smith at first base for the final out of the game.

Barnett earned the win pitching four innings, allowing just two hits and the one run. Wilhite secured the save throwing three shutout innings with no runs allowed.

The "Fire and Ice" duo discussed the game Tuesday night.