SHELBY — Longtime Shelby coach Brian Wright is hardly the first
coach to profess a belief that pitching and defense win championships.
Rarely,
though, is a coach proven as correct as Wright was Saturday, as his
Tigers played a sparkling game in both those key areas to upset Montague
in the district finals, 2-1, and keep Shelby's season going.
"I
tell the guys all the time, defense wins championships," Wright said.
"We made some big-time plays tonight. I'm just proud of this group.
They're
just unbelievable. We get a conference championship, and now a
district championship. And we get to play more. We
get to play again. It was pretty darn cool."
It's the first
time since 2012 that the Tigers have hoisted a district trophy. Paired
with the first-since-2010 conference title Shelby earned earlier in May,
it gives a storybook quality to Wright's 45th and last season at the
helm for the Tigers. His final home game ended with a Gatorade bath and a
celebratory team photo.
"It's unbelievable," Wright said. "I
don't want to start getting emotional, but if you'd told me in March we're
going to win a conference championship and a district championship, man, it's pretty special."
DayDay
Garcia was the man facing the unenviable task of slowing down
Montague's lineup, a group that had led the 'Cats to the West Michigan
Conference Lakes co-championship. Garcia delivered and then some,
allowing six hits and one run. He struck out four and didn't walk
anyone, making the Wildcats beat him.
Shelby's DayDay Garcia winds up to make a pitch during Saturday's district finals game against Montague. Garcia delivered the Tigers to a 2-1 upset win over the Wildcats.
"I was just locating my spots," Garcia said. "The ump gives me an outside (corner,) and I just live there."
"DayDay Garcia matched them pitch for pitch," Wright added. "He just pitched outstanding
today."
It helped that he got tremendous defense behind him.
Likely no play was more important than Trevor Weiss' dramatic diving
catch in the outfield on a hit by Montague's Cole Moss to lead off the
sixth. Coming right after Jaden Furman's go-ahead double in the top of
the sixth, the play, had it not been made, would have given the Wildcats
a huge boost.
It was made, though, and Weiss and his outfield
teammates knew how important it was, celebrating boisterously when the
senior got off the ground holding the ball.
The very next
hitter, Dylan Bailey, sent a hard ground ball into the hole between
first and second base, but Neil Gowell made an athletic play to cut it
off and found Garcia racing to cover first for a second out that made
the Tigers believers.
"I don't know how Weiss made that play," Wright said. "Neil Gowell made an unbelievable play at first. I'm
just so proud of them."
Garcia retired the remaining four batters without incident, and the celebration was on for Shelby.
Furman's
clutch hit was one of several the young right fielder has delivered
over the course of the season, despite hitting ninth in the order.
Wright said Furman actually led the entire West Michigan Conference
Rivers in batting average by a primary outfielder, but he didn't want to
mess up a good thing by moving him up in the order.
Shelby's Jaden Furman takes a swing at a pitch during Saturday's district finals game against Montague. Furman delivered the game-winning hit in the Tigers' 2-1 win.
"He's just one of those kids," Wright said of Furman. "I think a lot of pitchers think, 'It's a 9 hitter, let's throw the
ball.' He hit that ball pretty good."
Earlier in the day, the
Tigers downed Western Michigan Christian 12-2 in the semifinals. Shelby
went into the fourth inning tied at 2 with the Warriors, but ripped off
five runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings to end the game by
mercy rule.
Garcia, Chase Simon and Cam Smith each had two
hits in that game. Furman drove in three runs, and Gowell, Weiss and
Garcia plated a pair apiece. Simon scored three times. Leighton Belasco
pitched the game, striking out eight and allowing four hits.
Shelby
earned a regional semifinal date at Kent City with the win. The Tigers
swept Kent City when the teams played last season, and the Eagles are
below .500 in 2026, but it's anyone's guess what Wednesday could bring.
"We play on
their home field," Wright said. "I don't care. We'll go to the Mackinac
Bridge and play, as long as we can keep going."
