SLIDING BY — Madonna’s Luke Amaismeier records an out while Shadyside’s Korey Beckett slides near him on Wednesday. -- Seth Staskey

SHADYSIDE — Pitching and defense haven’t been an issue this season for the Shadyside baseball team.

At times, however, the Tigers just haven’t swung the bats well enough.

Wednesday afternoon, at home against Madonna, Shadyside delivered in all three phases, and it resulted in a convincing 9-0 victory on senior day.

“We’ve been working a lot on our days off on adjusting to different speeds and pitchers,” Shadyside head coach Shawn Selmon said. “We’re starting to swing the bats better, but slower pitching has been our weakness. We’re adjusting now, and I think we’re coming around at the right time.”

The Tigers needed that adjustment because Madonna, which was short-handed due to its basketball team playing at Clay-Battelle in a regional tournament game, as well as an injury, trotted out two pitchers who aren’t accustomed to eating a lot of innings, according to head coach Jeff Baire.

“We’re at the very bottom of our rotation,” Baire said. “I threw two guys who usually don’t throw and we knew what we were getting into (against Shadyside).”

While the Blue Dons were putting together a makeshift pitching staff for the game, Selmon and company used the game, which was its final tuneup before Saturday’s OVAC Class 2A semifinal, as a chance to get some guys some work.

Junior Rhys Francis, classmate Mason Vannest and freshman Tyler Stottlemyer were brilliant.

They combined for 11 strikeouts and issued nary a walk. Vannest has now thrown nine consecutive hitless innings, dating back to his gem against Bridgeport on Friday. Stottlemyer pitched the final three innings to earn the save.

“I have a phenomenal group of (pitchers) who can all throw strikes,” Selmon said. “Rhys and Mason throw pretty hard, and Tyler has become a guy we can count on to pitch with the lead (late in games). Our biggest strength is our pitching, and our defense is close behind. If we can bring the bats, when we play well in the other two areas, we’re pretty tough to beat.”

The Tigers got plenty of offense this time out. They got two runs in the second. Ryan Florence led off the inning with a triple and promptly was driven in by junior Korey Beckett, who singled sharply into left.

Alex Baker, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, scored on a base hit by Eric Allen.

The Tigers blew the game open in the fourth when they sent 10 hitters to the plate and scored six times. 

Vannest had the big hit when he cleared the bases with a ringing double. Allen also had a two-run single in the frame.

The Tigers, who played in their commemorative uniforms to honor veterans, closed the scoring with a run in the sixth. 

Shadyside actually had what looked like a good chance at pushing some runs across in the first inning with two on, no outs and the heart of the order coming up.

However, Mason Vannest’s well-struck liner was stabbed by shortstop Luke Amaismeier going up the middle. He proceeded to step on second for the second out, and then threw to first baseman Tyler Starvaggi for the triple play.

“Shadyside’s pitchers were definitely effective, but we hit the ball hard at people,” Baire said. “We battled, and I am proud of the guys for that. The fact that we battled with the circumstances we had to make it a seven inning game is something I am extremely proud of the guys for.”