Kaden Shay is playing his best baseball at right time with South Williamsport
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Kaden Shay frequently makes the right baseball plays and provides South Williamsport an all-around spark.
But he also often is dealing with his harshest critic. He constantly stares back at him in the mirror.
Shay is the kind of athlete who will make a big impact in a game but spend the night thinking about the play he did not make or the hit he did not get. So, between a finger injury and a slow start to his sophomore season, Shay was plenty frustrated.
Instead of sulking, Shay kept working. Now, at the perfect time, he is playing his best baseball. Shay capped a super district playoff run against Muncy, going 2 for 3 with an RBI and three runs while helping South win, 10-4 to capture the District 4 Class AA championship.
"Kaden is very hard on himself. He puts a lot of pressure on himself," South coach Casey Waller said. "But he’s matured throughout the season and has come a long way."
Shay and South hope they can keep making strides Monday when they play District 2 champion Holy Cross in the opening round of the state tournament. The Mounties (16-5) navigated a loaded District 4 field to reach this game and Shay was at his best during that run.
In three district games, the hard-working second baseman went 4 for 9 with two doubles, four RBIs and five runs. More important than the stats is when Shay did his damage. It always came at key moments.
Against Canton in the quarterfinals, Shay belted a two-out, two-run triple in the fifth inning, putting South up 3-0 in a game it won 3-1. Three days later against Wake Forest-bound pitcher Blake Morningstar, Shay slammed a go-ahead, sixth-inning RBI double, helping South defeat NTL-I champion Wyalusing, 3-1.
A catalyst again in Tuesday’s district final, Shay ignited a first-inning rally with a one-out single, stealing second and coming home on Makai Day’s RBI single. South scored seven runs the next inning and never trailed as it won its third district championship in four years.
"I felt locked in pretty much the whole day," Shay said. "The moment I got here, I felt energized and was thinking today is the day. I felt good the whole way."
That included in the field and on the bases. The reliable second baseman was part of a defense which played error-free ball and he gave Muncy fits when he reached base. After Muncy cut an eight-run deficit in half in the top of the fifth, Shay delivered again and manufactured a run, hitting a single and stealing second before showing off his baseball IQ.
When Day hit a slow roller up the first-base line, Shay never broke stride as he rounded third. By the time the ball was thrown a bit high and Day reached first, Shay was sliding in with another run to restore South momentum.
"He’s a second leadoff hitter. He’s a quality batter. He does all the little things right," lead-off hitter Landon Lorson said. "He sees a lot of pitches which is his style. He’s never afraid either and that’s big."
Shay enjoyed a fantastic debut season last year and was one of the district’s breakout freshmen players. Needing just a few games to become a full-time starter, Shay played both infield and outfield and settled into the lead-off spot, finishing among area leaders in on-base percentage.
Baseball, however, can be a humbling game and Shay’s sophomore season started much different. He was as determined as ever but the consistent offensive production eluded Shay. Waller moved him to different spots in the lineup, trying him at No. 6 and No. 5.
Finally, Shay found at a home at the No. 2 spot. And as frustrating as the start to the season was it no longer matters because Shay again has become a weapon. It started at the regular season's conclusion and has carried into the playoffs.
Instead of letting the slump get to him, Shay attacked it, learned from it and may now be better because of it.
"Kaden is scrappy and is playing well and I’m happy for him," Waller said. "He’s got that grit to him when he plays the game. I just want him and all the guys to trust the process."
Shay doing that has played a major role in South climbing the District 4 ladder again. His sophomore season did not start how he would have liked but Shay certainly is making a strong finishing kick.
"I've had some trouble during the season," Shay said. "I hurt my finger and that kind of messed me up a little bit, but after it healed, I felt good and I was ready to get back to the way I played my freshman season."
Even the man in the mirror should like the results.