Photo by Kim North Shadyside centerfielder Ryan Collins watches the ball come down as left fielder Nathan Beck closes in. The two eventually collided, but Collins held onto the ball for the out during Saturday’s game against Bridgeport on the Niekro Diamond in Brookside. The Tigers won, 3-2.

BROOKSIDE – After dropping a season-opening heartbreaker at Oak Glen on Friday, Shadyside bounced back with a clutch effort 24 hours later.

The visiting Tigers (1-1) scored three unearned runs and then held off a late rally by debuting Bridgeport for a 3-2 victory on a sun-soaked, but crisp, Saturday afternoon at the Niekro Diamond in high school baseball action.

“This was a great bounce-back win for us,” Shadyside head coach Jason Collins said. “We hit the ball hard today. (Conner) Nelson is probably going to be one of the hardest throwers we see all season, so respect to him.”

Shadyside scored in its first at-bat as Jacob Allen reached on a one-out error and scooted to third on a double by Ryan Collins. Dominic Forgacs’ groundout allowed Allen to race home.

After stranding runners at second and third with only one out in the bottom of the third, Bridgeport finally broke through against Tigers starter Luke Crozier an inning later. Carson Sauvageot drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Gage Drummond belted a 1-2 pitch to left-center for a double, scoring Sauvageot.

The opportunistic Tigers struck right back with two runs in the top of the fifth. Nathan Beck, the No. 9 hitter in the order, walked leading off and Damian Russell was plunked with the next pitch by Conner Nelson. A grounder by Collins was misplayed as a run scored for a 2-1 reading. Forgacs’ smash up the middle caromed off of Nelson to second baseman Xander Wilson who threw to first for the second out, but Russell sped home for a 3-1 lead.

Crozier stranded a runner on third in the sixth, but the Bulldogs rallied in their last at-bat before coming up a run short.

Brett Kurprowicz and David Proctor singled to start the bottom of the seventh. A fielder’s choice erased Kuprowicz at third. The next batter grounded to third and another force, but the throw across the diamond for the potential game-ending double play sailed into foul territory as Roman Sauvageot rounded the bases before sliding headfirst into home just ahead of the throw, making it 3-2 with Brode Brown advancing to second on the play. Nelson was intentionally walked before Crozier completed the 1-hour, 53-minute game with his eighth strikeout of the contest

“We’ve got to get better at the plate,” Bridgeport head coach Billy Timko said. “We kind of gave them some runs. Conner put some runners on base he shouldn’t have, but Jaki came in and did well in relief. That’s a positive and we gave ourselves a chance to win in the seventh, which was also nice to see.”

Crozier needed just 92 pitches – 62 strikes – in his route-going performance. The righty threw a first-pitch strike to 23 of the 30 Bulldogs he faced. He yielded five hits and walked a pair.

“Luke pitched well and we took advantage of their mistakes,” Coach Collins said.

Nelson struggled with his command in the fourth and fifth innings when he tossed 37 of his 102 pitches (59 strikes). He also permitted five hits, struck out seven and issued a trio of free passes. He also hit a pair of Bulldogs.

Both teams are back in action Monday as Shadyside debuts at home against Ohio 7 rival River, while Bridgeport heads north on Ohio 7 to face Steubenville Catholic.