Jared Head’s one-hitter helps Smiths Station take down Central

Smiths Station senior pitcher Jared Head said he tried not to think too much about Wednesday’s rivalry game against Central. In an important matchup against a dangerous lineup, Head said it was crucial to focus on his movement and hitting his catcher’s targets, rather than worrying about the importance of the game.

Judging from Head’s performance against the Red Devils, the strategy worked flawlessly.

Head wasted little time and effort against Central, throwing only 54 pitches for a one-hit complete game in the Panthers’ 1-0 victory. The only Central runner to reach base was the first batter he faced, only making his response to Seth Gorman’s lead-off single that much more impressive.

“Most of my stuff was working,” Head said. “After the first inning, I was in a rhythm, but before the first inning, I was really nervous.”

The performance by Head, who also notched five strikeouts in the victory, was one Smiths Station head coach Mike Ferry knew was not an everyday performance for any high school pitcher.

“That was incredible,” Ferry said. “He did exactly what we asked him to do. We preach that all the time, but kids, when they're teenagers, they think that they want to throw it by everybody. This is the first time that we've had a kid say, 'You know what? I'm going to throw it where I'm supposed to and see what happens.' And it worked out for him like it's supposed to work out for him.”

While Head kept the Red Devils’ hitters at bay, the Panthers had trouble giving their pitcher a cushion early. Through the first three innings, Smiths Station left five runners on base, which included loading the bases with one out in the second before the inning ended on a double play.

Smiths Station third baseman Dalton Harrelson finally got the Panthers on the board in the fourth inning. With the bases loaded once again, Harrelson came through with a single to right field, scoring Chase Locklar.

Head said the RBI single was a welcomed sight for his return to the mound.

“That was very big,” Head said. “When you pitch with a lead, it's a lot easier to pitch toward the strike zone. It gives you a little more confidence.”

Ferry said afterward he wanted much more from his offense than the lone run. Thanks to Head’s command on the mound, it wound up being plenty.

“We were fortunate and it was a blessing that he was throwing as well as he was, but I don't ever try to play for just one or two or think that that's going to be enough,” Ferry said. “I mean, it's high school baseball. Kids are going to make mistakes. It's just going to happen, so we try to play for more than one or two for sure.”

Head got the upperhand in what was a strong game from both starting pitchers. Central’s Evan Baber was nearly as effective, recording seven strikeouts while allowing three hits and a pair of walks. He also went the full distance for his side.

Even in the early goings, it was evident Baber was ready to put on a show just like Head. Still, the Panthers’ pitcher did his best to ignore his counterpart. Head had his mind set on nothing but sitting the next three Central hitters down promptly.

“Again, I don't try to think about it,” Head said.

This story was originally published April 12, 2017 at 9:16 PM with the headline "Jared Head’s one-hitter helps Smiths Station take down Central."