Dylan Loy helped Pigeon Forge get to 2-0 this week in the Class 2A tournament with his arm and his bat. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY ETHAN STONE
SMYRNA — Dylan Loy, the ace Pigeon Forge pitcher, walked back to the mound unbothered Wednesday afternoon after two Forrest runs crossed the plate and cut the Pigeon Forge lead in half.
Loy settled in, forced a ground out and struck the next two batters out like it was nothing to end the inning.
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It’s what he had been doing all day in the Tiger’s 8-5 victory over Forrest in the Class 2A state tournament held at Stewarts Creek High School.
Loy’s mere presence on the mound seemed to demand an out. The junior left-handed pitcher rang up 10 strikeouts and allowed just two hits.
The Tennessee baseball commit started the game and also came in as a relief pitcher on four separate occasions Wednesday, facing a bases-loaded situation three times.
“I’m just focused on the mound, I didn’t even know that,” Loy said. “I just go in there and throw strikes.”
But ask Pigeon Forge (39-3) head coach Mike Guinn and he’ll tell you that Loy threw a few too many strikes against the Rockets (26-10). Loy’s pitch count from Wednesday should not allow him to pitch the rest of the tournament, unless continued weather delays prolong the event.
Not having Loy on the mound could be a blow for Pigeon Forge. Loy improved to 12-1 on the season with 126 strikeouts in 58.2 innings with his win Wednesday.
“If it comes to a point where the game’s on the line, I’m not going to lose the game,” Guinn said on his decision to keep turning to Loy. “We were taking our best pitcher and putting him against the best part of their lineup with him, and he negated them. Didn’t work well because I had to use him a lot today, but that’s okay. I got a lot of arms left, a lot of great pitchers.”
And Loy can still contribute offensively. That showed Wednesday evening.
Right after putting the Rockets down in order, Loy connected on an RBI single to left field to add an insurance run. It was his third RBI of the day to put an exclamation point on a 3-for-5 performance at the plate.
“It’s pretty hard to beat that guy,” Guinn said. “He’s one of the best pitchers in the state, he’s a dog out there. He shows it, I’m proud of him. He’s a joy to coach, he’s a joy to be around.”
That joy was noticeable postgame. Players in his situation could complain about workload and not being able to pitch the rest of the tournament, but Loy has bought in to anything that puts Pigeon Forge baseball on top at the end of the day.
And he’s got full confidence the rest of the pitching staff will carry Pigeon Forge to another state championship – which would be its first since 2013.
“We have to throw another guy after this game, we need everyone we have,” Loy said. “It’s not a ‘me’ game, it’s a ‘we’ game.”
NEXT UP
Pigeon Forge will play the winner of Game 10 (White House Heritage vs. Forrest) on Thursday in the semifinals. That game is expected to be played at 2 p.m. Central time on Thursday at Stewarts Creek.
The winner of Game 10 will have to beat Pigeon Forge twice on Thursday for the Tigers to not reach the state championship.