Saalborn extinguishes Payson Seymour offense while red-hot Blue Devils offense keeps producing

QUINCY — Just call Chase Saalborn “The Fireman.”

In his first varsity start, the junior right-hander extinguished Payson Seymour’s offense by tossing a five-inning, complete-game shutout in the Blue Devils’ 10-0 victory on Saturday.

As Saalborn watched from the dugout while the Blue Devils scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth to put the mercy rule in effect, he sported a red, plastic fireman’s hat that his teammates Gavin Fink and Drake Gibson found in Gibson’s car before the game. He also wore it for several minutes after the game,

“I wasn’t going to go back out in sixth inning,” Saalborn said. “I took it from another kid on the bench earlier when I got over here, and I knew I was done.”

Saalborn kept the hat on in the handshake line after Gibson’s game-ending single, and he may break it out for future starts.

“I might have to,” Saalborn said. “Good luck charm here. Hopefully it keeps working out.”

Saalborn gave up just two hits, struck out five and walked two on 74 pitches, 46 of which were for strikes.

“You can’t be mad at that,” Saalborn said of his performance. “I couldn’t have (asked for a better first start). It was pretty solid.”

Saalborn had made three relief appearances before Saturday and had surrendered three hits, a walk and three earned runs in those outings.

“The few opportunities he’s had, he’s done a really good job for us, and he did the same today,” Blue Devils coach Rick Lawson said. “He pitched to contact, and our guys made the plays.”

Saalborn may have earned himself a new nickname in the process, too.

“He was (the fireman),” Gibson said “That was awesome.”

The Blue Devils manufactured three runs in the bottom of the first to give Saalborn a 3-0 lead. Quincy added another run in the third on Gibson’s RBI single. 

“We made a few mistakes early on that cost us four runs, then I think we kind of just puttered out,” Indians coach Brenton Hannel said. “Maybe it was the early game, maybe a little tired, but we made some crucial mistakes that were hard to come back from.”

Gibson’s line drive with two outs in the Blue Devils’ six-run fifth inning split the right-centerfield gap, but with the bases loaded and the winning run at third, Gibson was only credited with a single.

“I wish I would have gotten a double or triple out of that,” Gibson said. “I think I could have gotten three on that, for sure.”

Still, it was a productive 3-for-4 day for Gibson. Junior shortstop Cameron Lawson, who also went 3 for 4 on Saturday, said the offense is starting to hit its stride. Quincy has scored 10 runs in three of its last four games and nine or more runs in four of its last five.

“We’re hitting well now, a lot of line drives, and I feel like it’s all coming together,” Cameron Lawson said.

The Blue Devils are 10-4 in their last 14 games after a 2-10 start.

“If we would have started out the year like this, we would not be 12-14,” Gibson said. “We’re definitely playing some good baseball right now. We’re pretty hot right now.”

Better late than never. Pitching performances like Saalborn’s are a good sign, too.

“I definitely like the direction we’re going,” Rick Lawson said. “At least lately, it’s been that we’re putting runs on the board early, which not only helps your pitcher but puts pressure on the other team, as well. Hopefully that trend continues. It’s not easy to do, but hopefully we can keep that up.”

The Blue Devils resume Western Big 6 Conference play with their final home-and-home series of the season beginning Monday. Quincy will play host to Rock Island Alleman before their conference finale on the road on Wednesday.