A Piece of History – Gardner Throws No Hitter
Posted: June 3, 2011
There was no doubt that rookie A’s manager
Shaun Wegner’s first win was going to be memorable. But it
turned out to be one for the history books.
Starting pitcher Mitchell Gardner notched the first victory for
Wegner by throwing a no-hitter that lifted the Sheboygan A’s
to a 7-0 victory over the Thiensville-Mequon Twins Thursday night at
Wildwood Baseball Park.
The masterpiece was the
eighth no-hitter in the club’s 49 year history. For
the majority of the game, Gardner’s effort made up for the
team’s lack of offensive production. Sheboygan tallied just
one run in the first seven innings.
The lone bump
in the road came in the top of the seventh when Gardner lost his bid
for a perfect game after surrendering three consecutive walks. Wegner
decided it was time to go out and settle his pitcher down.
“I just went out there and said hey, take a deep
breath here and do what you’ve been doing all day,”
said Wegner. “He found a way to use that advice somehow and
finished it off.”
After the brief mound
visit, Gardner pitched his way out of trouble and escaped the inning
unscathed.
“He’s a tough
kid,” said Wegner. “A lot of people could fold right
there, but he showed composure and mental toughness and found a way to
get it done.”
Gardner’s
fortitude was put to the test in the bottom of the eighth, while his
teammates were enjoying a six-run rally, Gardner was stuck
contemplating the final three outs that lay ahead.
“It took forever,” said Gardner.
“I started getting tight, but I knew once I went out there
for the ninth I had to bare down and get the last
outs.”
A series of fine defensive plays
in the ninth nailed down the piece of A’s history.
With the victory, Sheboygan improves to 2-1 on the young
season. The Chicago Clout come to town for the official opening of the
newly renovated Wildwood Park. The festivities begin at noon with a
brat fry, followed by a performance by the Buffalo Joe Band at 1:30.
First pitch is set for shortly after 4 p.m.
T-M 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 0 1
Sheb. 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 6 x
– 7 9 0
Story and Photo by Nathan
Woelfel.
The Sheboygan A's are members of the Wisconsin State League and Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League. The A's have helped develop more than 43 players that have reached professional baseball, including 2002 World Series Champion Jarrod Washburn (Anaheim Angels). All Sheboygan A's home games are played at Wildwood Baseball Park in Sheboygan. Connect with the A's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
