Hensley's Right Arm Helps Carry Triton Into State Finals
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Tyler Hensley doesn't have the stuff of Boston pitcher Pedro Martinez.
For that matter, arguably no one else in the major leagues does, either.
Triton High School's Hensley doesn't need Martinez's stuff. He often dominates high school hitters the way it is now, and Triton coach Jim Shively believes Hensley may be the only player in this weekend's Class A state finals capable of dominating a game by himself.
The numbers back Shively.
Hensley, 11-4 with a 1.58 ERA, will start for Triton (22-10) in its Friday first-round Class A state finals game against No. 3 Madison Shawe (30-4).
He throws four pitches, a mid-80s mph fastball, cut fastball, curve and changeup.
Martinez influenced one of his pitches.
"The cutter I got after reading a magazine article about Pedro Martinez," Hensley said. "It showed his grip, I started playing around with it and got the hang of it."
The cut fastball moves away from right-handed hitters and moves in on the hands of left-handed hitters.
"It's a pitch most high school pitchers don't throw," Shively said.
In 97 2-3 innings, Hensley has allowed 60 hits while striking out 146. He struck out 14 in one game this season and has had a few games with 13 strikeouts. He's started 13 games and completed them all.
"Sometimes he has good pop on his fastball, some nights his cutter is strong, and other nights his curve is sharp," Shively said. "When his cutter is going, he can rack up some strikeouts."
Said Hensley: "My curve and cutter keep hitters off-balance."
Hensley had control problems in previous seasons but has improved this year, so much so Shively calls him "the top pitcher" he's coached in his eight years at Triton.
He didn't have his best stuff last Saturday, but after allowing four runs in the first, Hensley pitched a complete game as Triton beat No. 4 Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian (22-4) 10-4 in the regional semifinals.
He walked seven that game, but Shively was more than forgiving considering the team Hensley was dealing with. Fort Wayne Blackhawk had five hitters batting .400 or higher, and the Braves averaged 11 runs per game.
"If he's throwing well, people will struggle," Shively said. "Even when he struggles, he's still tough to beat. He struggled Saturday against Fort Wayne Blackhawk, and that may have been the best hitting team we've seen all year. He still held them to five hits."
In that game a frustrated Hensley, scowl on his face, stalked around the pitcher's mound in the second inning, leading to a quick visit by Shively.
"I wasn't having my best day," Hensley said, "and [the umpire] wasn't calling the pitches on corner for strikes early in the game, but he was at the end of the game. I didn't have my best control, either."
Shively is the last one who wants to drain the emotion out of Hensley.
"He's a little quiet and shy overall," Shively said, "but when he's on the mound, he tries to blow people away. He has a nasty attitude on the mound, which you have to have." [[In-content Ad]]
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Tyler Hensley doesn't have the stuff of Boston pitcher Pedro Martinez.
For that matter, arguably no one else in the major leagues does, either.
Triton High School's Hensley doesn't need Martinez's stuff. He often dominates high school hitters the way it is now, and Triton coach Jim Shively believes Hensley may be the only player in this weekend's Class A state finals capable of dominating a game by himself.
The numbers back Shively.
Hensley, 11-4 with a 1.58 ERA, will start for Triton (22-10) in its Friday first-round Class A state finals game against No. 3 Madison Shawe (30-4).
He throws four pitches, a mid-80s mph fastball, cut fastball, curve and changeup.
Martinez influenced one of his pitches.
"The cutter I got after reading a magazine article about Pedro Martinez," Hensley said. "It showed his grip, I started playing around with it and got the hang of it."
The cut fastball moves away from right-handed hitters and moves in on the hands of left-handed hitters.
"It's a pitch most high school pitchers don't throw," Shively said.
In 97 2-3 innings, Hensley has allowed 60 hits while striking out 146. He struck out 14 in one game this season and has had a few games with 13 strikeouts. He's started 13 games and completed them all.
"Sometimes he has good pop on his fastball, some nights his cutter is strong, and other nights his curve is sharp," Shively said. "When his cutter is going, he can rack up some strikeouts."
Said Hensley: "My curve and cutter keep hitters off-balance."
Hensley had control problems in previous seasons but has improved this year, so much so Shively calls him "the top pitcher" he's coached in his eight years at Triton.
He didn't have his best stuff last Saturday, but after allowing four runs in the first, Hensley pitched a complete game as Triton beat No. 4 Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian (22-4) 10-4 in the regional semifinals.
He walked seven that game, but Shively was more than forgiving considering the team Hensley was dealing with. Fort Wayne Blackhawk had five hitters batting .400 or higher, and the Braves averaged 11 runs per game.
"If he's throwing well, people will struggle," Shively said. "Even when he struggles, he's still tough to beat. He struggled Saturday against Fort Wayne Blackhawk, and that may have been the best hitting team we've seen all year. He still held them to five hits."
In that game a frustrated Hensley, scowl on his face, stalked around the pitcher's mound in the second inning, leading to a quick visit by Shively.
"I wasn't having my best day," Hensley said, "and [the umpire] wasn't calling the pitches on corner for strikes early in the game, but he was at the end of the game. I didn't have my best control, either."
Shively is the last one who wants to drain the emotion out of Hensley.
"He's a little quiet and shy overall," Shively said, "but when he's on the mound, he tries to blow people away. He has a nasty attitude on the mound, which you have to have." [[In-content Ad]]