DANVILLE, Calif. — Walnut Creek Crawdads right-handed pitcher Dylan McShane came out to the East Bay to try and get back into the swing of things. McShane was a highly touted prospect out of Saint Mary’s High School in Stockton, California, and committed to play baseball at Oregon. He was used 21 times in his 2023 true freshman season and spent the summer as a Crawdad, but until now, that was the last time he had thrown the ball competitively.

Injuries have held McShane — now a University of the Pacific Tiger — on the sidelines up until the summer, and, at first, it looked like there could be an adjustment period to getting back on the mound. The righty gave up four earned runs in his first two innings of work this season, but coming into Sunday’s game against the San Francisco Seagulls, things were on the up.

Over his last two appearances, McShane had thrown five innings of one-run ball. He carried the momentum into his start against the Seagulls. Simply put, McShane shoved. The 6-foot-9 righty is an imposing figure on the mound and he looked like a giant toying with the competition, going four innings of one-run ball, striking out six while hitting his highest velocity of the season — 94 MPH — and allowing five base runners.

“It’s awesome,” McShane said. “… The more I play, the more grateful I am and more excited I am to keep building.”

Walnut Creek (13-6) took advantage of McShane’s great start, giving him run support and defeating San Francisco (5-17), 10-2 at Monte Vista High School. The victory put the Crawdads back in the win column after a frustrating loss to the Sonoma Stompers and finishes off their week with a 5-1 record.

“I keep saying, ‘Throw it over the white thing,’” Crawdads head coach Brant Cummings said. “(McShane) did a better job of that today. It was significantly better today than he’d been in previous outings, and I’m happy for him. He’s a wonderful young man. He did a very good job of going out and competing in the strike zone.”

McShane did allow three walks in his four innings of work, but was sharp more often than not. He challenged Seagulls’ batters in the strike zone and let his stuff overpower the competition. Whether it was his fastball — which usually sits in the high 80s to low 90s but spiked in the mid-90s on Sunday — or offspeed offerings, the opposing lineup was either whiffing or making subpar contact.

The Righty only allowed two hits — A pair of singles in the fourth inning that scored the lone run he gave up — and five of his six strikeouts were of the swinging variety. McShane credits fellow Crawdads arm, left-hander Ryan DeLaney, with helping him get back to his old self. The two have worked together throughout the summer and formed a tight bond.

“He just helps put things into perspective,” McShane said. “He always comes to the park with a smile. I think when baseball gets a little too stressful, it’s always nice to have a guy you can lean on that’s just a good buddy and helps you out.”

DeLaney was also one of four bullpen arms that held the line and converted McShane’s start into a win, as in the CCL, a starter only needs to go four innings to be eligible. The relievers — DeLaney, fellow lefty Bradyn Barnes and righties Raymond Olivas and Kam Croghan — only allowed six base runners and one earned run, which came against Croghan. The run was the first to score against Croghan in nearly two weeks and raised his ERA to 2.38.

“It’s hard to be called on at a random time during the game and be ready to go, and that’s what they did today,” McShane said. “Props to them. It’s an awesome environment down there.”

In order for the Crawdads’ pitching staff to be able to preserve a lead, they first had to be given one by the offense. The lineup jumped on San Francisco’s starting pitcher, right-hander Justin Robinson, in the second inning, matching Saturday’s run total in just two frames.

After two singles and a fielder’s choice loaded the bases, center fielder Trey Johnson walked into the left-handed batter’s box to try and put the Crawdads on the board. Failure to produce in bases-loaded situations was one of the main reasons that the Crawdads lost to the Stompers on Saturday. On a more personal note, Johnson was trying to put a slow stretch behind him.

Instead of feeling the pressure, Johnson stayed calm, cool and collected in the fiery moment on the hottest day of the season thus far. The lefty hitter got a fastball up and on the outside part of the plate, which he took to the opposite field for a double, scoring two runs.

“I trust myself,” Johnson said. “I’ve been doing this for 10-plus years. I drive people in. I know my abilities and I know if I put a good swing and get a good pitch to him, I’m going to drive him in.”

Johnson said that he tries not to think too much in the box; he lets his body do the talking, not his mind. After his teammates saw the double, they joined in on allowing their bodies and swings to do the speaking for them.

Walnut Creek scored their 10 runs on nine hits, taking advantage of 11 free passes as well. The lineup didn’t waste opportunities like Saturday and looked a lot more like their old self. Cummings, as always, wasn’t worried about the team. He knew they would bounce back strong. The evidence this season has shown that to be the case.

Cummings was so confident that he didn’t even address the bad offensive game against the Stompers before the game against the Seagulls. His confidence was proved to be warranted.

“I had some thoughts, but I didn’t share them,” Cummings said. “You get a chance to go out there when the guy throws it over the white thing, swing that thing. Humans are predisposed to violence, so (when) you have that club in your hand, beat something with it.”

By Ethan Ignatovsky