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9.0 years ago

STL Today - Hudson Doesn't Dissappoint 3/23/2015

Hudson doesn't disappoint as Alton shuts out Jerseyville

 

ALTON • With 16 major-league baseball scouts in the stands equipped with radar guns, Alton left-handed pitcher Bryan Hudson didn't disappoint them Monday at Hopkins Field.

Hudson, a 6-foot-8 senior, struck out nine of 12 batters he faced, allowed one hit — he picked off that runner — and blasted a two-run home run to right field to lead the Redbirds to a 12-0, five-inning win over visiting Jerseyville in a nonconference game.

“I liked the way I came out and threw,” Hudson said of his 58-pitch performance. “The team did a great job backing me up whenever I needed it.”

Hudson, who was a first-team all-Southwestern Conference choice in the recently completed basketball season, didn't waste any time against the Panthers (2-2).

After Jerseyville leadoff hitter Hunter Bryant hit one back to Hudson to start the game, Hudson fanned eight consecutive batters with his curveball. Four of the strikeouts were called.

Bryant, a right-handed hitter, got the only hit off Hudson when he dumped a single to right field to start the fourth. But Hudson promptly picked Bryant off first. Christian Kimble then struck out swinging and Jake Varble bounced back to Hudson to end the inning.

 

It was Hudson's last pitch of the game in which he hit 92 miles per hour with his fastball.

Alton (3-0), which has a talented starting staff, also will be known this season for hitting.

Alton scored twice in the first after Panthers center fielder Brendan Kennedy dropped a fly ball from leader off hitter Steven Nguyen, allowing Nguyen to reach second.

Drake Hampton's bunt attempt to get Nguyen to third didn't go far enough and Jerseyville catcher Bryant threw Nguyen out at third.

But Hopkins reached first when Panthers second baseman Chace Tallman misplayed a ball as Hampton stopped at second. Hudson walked to load the bases and Jacob Kanallakan singled to center to score Hampton and Hopkins for a 2-0 lead.

Hudson added to the lead in the bottom of the third when he tagged a hanging curve off Panthers left-handed starter Will Mortland (0-2) for a home run that went far over the right-field fence on a cold, breezy night.

“That just lifted my spirits,” said Hudson, who improved to 2-0. “That was probably the hardest ball I hit all year. I saw him playing around with the ball in his glove, so I was kind of expecting a curveball because he threw a few to Matt (Hopkins). So I just barreled it.”

Alton put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fourth with an eight-run inning highlighted by a bases-loaded triple by Jacob Skrabacz off reliever Levi Staples.

Right-handed junior Nick Cauley, who also hit 92 on the radar gun, came in and finished the game for in the top of the fifth for the Redbirds, who have outscored their opponents 34-2 in their three games.

As for pitching in front of the scouts, Hudson said “I just cleared my head. I don't let it get to me. I just do what I've got to do out there.”

Jerseyville coach Darren Perdun said he wasn't upset about Hudson's long homer. It was the leadoff walk to Hopkins to start the inning that annoyed Perdun more.

“What made me more mad was that leadoff walk before that,” Perdun said. “You're going to give up hits and home runs and stuff like that. But when you walk a guy....I'm more mad about that.

“He hung him a curveball and he tattooed it. You hand a pitch to a big guy like that. If he gets on it, you're in trouble. There's nothing you can do about that.”

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