By PAUL GOTHAM
MENDON, N.Y. — With a four-run lead in hand before having toed the rubber, Tyler Henshaw went to work, Monday afternoon.
The senior southpaw went on to hurl five-and-a-third innings to lead Brockport past host Pittsford Mendon, 9-3 in Monroe County Division III action.
“You’re stepping out on the mound with a great mindset,” he said of the first-inning offensive outburst. “It just gave me a lot of confidence out there.”
Commanding three pitches throughout, Henshaw struck out seven as the Blue Devils won their third straight and fourth in five games.
“The mix is phenomenal with him,” Brockport head coach Matt Davis said. “That’s the thing that makes him really good. I’m calling pitches and he’s putting them exactly where we want them.”
Henshaw set down the side in order in the first. He worked around a pair of errors that contributed to Mendon’s first run of the day in the second. Eventually he went on to retire seven of eight from the third inning through the end of the fifth inning.
“When his curve ball is on, he’s getting fly balls,” Davis explained. “When his change-up is on, he’s getting ground balls. It’s just enough mix to get guys off-balance. His fastball is good enough. You still got to gear up for it because it can get by you. It’s sneaky especially after the other two pitches get working.”
Henshaw improved to 2-1 on the season. Monday’s outing was his second longest of the season. In 20 innings of work over five appearances, he has faced 87 batters and sent 28 of those back to the dugout on strikes while issuing just two walks. He has given up 18 hits and seven earned runs.
Tyler Henshaw works a 1-2-3 4th, his second clean inning of the game. Heading to the 5th: Brockport 4 Mendon 1 pic.twitter.com/wGCYktyiSj
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 17, 2021
“I had my off-speed going good today,” he said. “I could tell in warmups. Once I throw four or five pitches of each, I just know it’s on.”
The fastball-curveball combination was something he had in 2019 as a sophomore when he finished 3-3 in 10 appearances. Adding a change-up to his arsenal has been the difference in 2021.
After struggling early last summer in the Interstate Collegiate Baseball League, Henshaw’s older brothers, Mitch and Brandon, encouraged a third pitch.
“They both told me it doesn’t matter how hard you throw if you have a change-up, you’re going to be good,” the youngest Henshaw said of the conversations with his brothers who have both played at the Division I level – Mitch currently at St. John’s University and Brandon a graduate of St. Bonaventure University.
Tyler Henshaw gets the ground ball to end the top of the 5th. Left-hander has retired 7 of 8. Brockport 5 Mendon 1 pic.twitter.com/mpOqKCJ9AW
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 17, 2021
Adding the change-up didn’t come without challenges, though.
“It wasn’t too good of a pitch at first,” the Potomac State commit said of trying to get a feel for the off-speed pitch. “I throw it a lot with the long-toss part of my warm-up routine. Over time it just got better and better.”
Henshaw’s curveball breaks late and drops on the back foot of right-handed batters while the movement on his change-up runs down and in on left handed-batters.
“He can locate them, locate them like he can his fastball,” Davis said. “That’s the thing that makes him really good.”
Will Cole sparked a two-out rally in the bottom first. With nobody aboard, the senior singled to right field. Nick Johnson followed with an RBI double. Ryan Judd put runners on the corners with a base hit, and Patrick Kiesow reached on an error that brought home two runs. Henshaw singled, and Kiesow eventually came home on a second fielding miscue.
“That was all with two outs, and we haven’t done that yet,” Davis noted. “We’ve been talking about it. There’s things you got to check off. A two-out rally to start the game? It’s good for the mindset. It’s all the mindset.”
Devyn Scheidt paced a 16-hit attack going 4-for-5 on the day. The senior catcher drove in a run with a single in the sixth when Brockport (5-4) pushed its advantage to 7-1.
“He’s a good stick,” Davis said. “He puts the ball in play. He was on it today – lines drives using the whole park. He’s definitely feeling good at the plate.”
Johnson, Judd and Kiesow each finished 2-for-4 at the plate while combining to score five runs. Henshaw was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Cole went 2-for-5. Cooper Hassall drove in two runs with a single. Ed Guerrero singled and scored a run.
Devyn Scheidt singles up the middle to bring home Edward Guerrero from second. pic.twitter.com/JkS8uQw56U
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 17, 2021
Daniel Palumbo finished 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored to lead Mendon (4-3). Sam Gines went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Collin Clark drove in a run with a single. Brendan Kane and Eric Roets both singled and scored a run.
The same two teams meet again on Wednesday.
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