DUBLIN, OH – The Erie Steelheads 17U Prospects went 1-1 on Saturday at the Worthington Wood Bat Tournament.

Their opening game of the day saw them earn a 1-0 win over the Westerville A’s on the strength of a brilliant pitching performance by Matt Shepard.

The McDowell product was dominant over his 6 2/3 innings of work, striking out four while allowing just five hits and three walks. He was lifted after 111 pitches and Warren’s Mitch Grosch induced a flyout to end the game.

The game was scoreless until the sixth, when Cam Williamson drew a leadoff walk, was sacrificed to second by Micah Passmore and scored on Ryan Rafalski’s 1-out double.

Shepard and Rafalski had the only two hits against Westerville’s Joey Ohl, who went the distance, but that proved to be enough, thanks to Shepard’s pitching.

It was tough sledding in Game 2 against the Dayton Thunderbirds, as the Steelies fell by a score of 9-1. Cody Smith’s RBI single in the first inning gave the Steelies an early lead, but it was short-lived, as the Thunderbirds got to starting pitcher Nick Hussey for three runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Hussey went two innings, allowing four runs on two hits and five walks. He also struck out two. He was relieved by Grosch, who allowed three earned runs, struck out two and allowed two hits and three walks in his 1 2/3 innings.

Smith had two of the five hits for the Steelheads (3-2), with Luke Jackson, Aidan Kelly and Passmore notching the others.

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Southern Tier Regulators

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Regulators dropped a 3-1 decision to West Hills on Saturday.

Aaron Hair got the start on the mound and went five innings, allowing three runs on three hits, walking four and striking out three.

Trailing 2-0 in the in the third inning, the Regulators struck for their lone run of the game. Lance Baldensperger’s RBI single brought in Jake Payne, who walked with one out.

Nick Crandall came on in relief of Hair and pitched two perfect innings with a strikeout. Crandall also had two of the Regulators’ (4-3-1) four hits.

They were scheduled to play a pair of games on Sunday, but those were wiped out due to rain. They return to action on Wednesday, hosting Full Circuit Power in a doubleheader, beginning at 4 p.m.