Former Dutch Fork standout and Lexington County Blowfish pitcher T.J. Shook took the Founders’ Park mound for his second start of the season against The Citadel on March 5.

The temperature at first pitch was 48 degrees but the mound was kept warm by the heat Shook brought to the Bulldogs.

Pitching a career-long 6.1 innings, Shook struck out a college best 12 Bulldog batters and allowed just 1 hit. Bolstered by 2 home runs from Andrew Eyster and George Callil, the Gamecocks had an eight-run second inning and won easily 9-0.

“I felt pretty good in the bullpen before the game,” Shook said after the game. “But the first couple innings, I just had to get settled in I guess. But about the third inning, I started to feel everything working and everything was moving like I wanted it to.”

Head Coach Mark Kingston heaped praise on the redshirt-sophomore from Irmo.

“This was TJ’s best outing since I’ve been here,” Kingston remarked after the game.

The difference for Shook? According to Kingston, it was all about being able to throw consistently for strikes.

Was this an audition for a spot on the weekend rotation? Kingston hedged a bit on that thought, instead pointing out that “I’d like for him to pitch this well every Tuesday night.”

A career high night in multiple categories has pushed the former Dutch Fork standout squarely into the now unsettled weekend rotation discussion.

On Sunday, he struck 2 in 2 innings of relief to pick up the save in the win over Valparaiso.

On the season, Shook is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA.

The contest also saw former Airport Eagle Tyler Corbitt returned to the Midlands with The Citadel. While at Airport, Corbitt led the Eagles to a Class 4A runner-up last year, and according to head coach Tim Perry he “is the best player I’ve ever coached at any level.”

Corbitt went 1-3, along with 2019 Blowfish signee Jordan Holloday, who scored a run.