May 17, 2007

ML Game 38

Hagan’s Funeral Home   6

Campbell’s Boat House   1

Hagan’s Downs Campbell’s Behind Tierney’s No-hitter

Hunter Tierney struck out 15 and walked just 2 batters in one of the most dominating pitching performances of this or any other Media Little League season.  He used a combination of power, skill (a devastating curve ball) and control (69% strikes) to cool off the red-hot bats of Campbell’s Boat House, winners of their previous five games.  During their winning streak, Campbell’s averaged more than 9 runs per game, but on this night they were able to scratch out just a single tally.

The game was a scoreless tie after two innings.  After opening the game with a ground ball out, Tierney fanned the next 10 consecutive Campbell’s batters.  However, John Fender, with a fine pitching performance of his own, also held Hagan’s hitless through two innings.  Nick Pacitti recorded the game’s first hit when he opened Hagan’s half the third inning with a line drive single down the left field line.  Tierney followed with a walk before John Owens smacked an RBI double to the fence in right centerfield.  Hagan’s carried a 3-0 lead into the 4^th inning when they added 3 more runs built around a walk by Ethan Heller, a single by Billy Ankrum (single, 2 BBs in 3 plate appearances), and an RBI single by Connor Martin.  In all, six different players scored for Hagan’s.

The Boaters’ defense fought gamely to keep the contest within reach.  They killed budding Hagan’s rallies in both the 5^th and 6^th innings with spectacular double plays.  In the 5^th,  John Fender laid out on a Web Gem-worthy dive at shortstop to grab a Neil Geosits line drive before throwing to second for the DP.  In the 6^th, John Ferruzzi backhanded a screaming Tierney grounder just off the line behind 3^rd base, fired to first, and then received the return throw to tag a runner trying to advance from second on the throw.

Still, Hagan’s already had all of the runs they would need.  Tierney carried a perfect game into the 5^th inning before surrendering walks to Eric Poynton and Lee Miller.  He then retired the next 5 batters for the complete game no-hitter.

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