Smith stellar in Big 26 Border Klash
CRANBERRY TWP — Hard work pays off.
It certainly did in Tyler Smith's case.
The Cranberry Township resident and incoming senior at Seneca Valley recently was one of 21 baseball players chosen to represent Pennsylvania in the Big 26 Border Klash, a three-game series against all-stars from Maryland.
The event is the equivalent to the Big 33 Football Classic.
Smith made the cut through two rounds of tryouts. The first, which took place in April at North Allegheny High School, included nominated players from all over Western Pennsylvania.
Players from every corner of the state then met at Shippensburg University in May for the second tryout.
Smith found out he had made the team a few days later and traveled to Waldorf, Md., in late July to face Maryland's best.
“I was just really excited to play shortstop and hit,” said Smith, who was also one of Pennsylvania's pitchers in the series.
The games were held at Blue Crabs Stadium, home to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, an independent professional team in the Atlantic League.
“The field was amazing,” said Smith. “In the clubhouse, every player had his own locker. I go in there and there's my uniform, game jersey, practice jersey, hat, pants, everything just hanging there. They treated us like pro players and it was really cool.”
Maryland won the first and second game by scores of 10-8 and 5-2, respectively, before Pennsylvania prevailed 12-4 on the third day.
Smith allowed one earned run in two innings in the final game and for the series, batted .400 with three RBI and a pair of stolen bases.
As a junior last spring, Smith started half of Seneca Valley's games at shortstop while pitching a few innings for the Raiders.
“In the tryouts (for Big 26), you could try out at any position you wanted. I tried out as an infielder and a pitcher,” Smith said. “They ended up putting me on the roster as just a fielder, but there were two innings in the third game that were left open and those are the ones I pitched. Maryland had a really good team, a lot of good players.”
Prior to the second game, all players took part in a talent showcase, where college scouts were watching.
“Right now, my ultimate goal is to play in college at either the high Division II level or low Division I,” said Smith, who will now focus on fall baseball for the West Hills Show, one of Pittsburgh's elite travel teams.
“This will be my first year with them,” he said. “We'll play a lot of games on college fields in Ohio and West Virginia.”
Smith began playing baseball at the Cranberry Township in-house level and moved on to travel ball when he was 9-years old.
“Beaver Valley heard about me and I tried out with them and made the team,” he said. “I began to take baseball more seriously than a lot of other kids my age.”
A former wrestler and football player, Smith now focuses his athletic efforts solely on baseball.
“I love the game,” he said. “I love practices and getting stronger physically and mentally.”
