LAKE WALES, Fla.— The Montreat baseball team started a 4-game series against the (RV) Warner University Royals in Lake Wales, Fla. Friday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader and grabbing its first win of the season thanks to a no-hit pitching performance from
Case Jaworski. Behind the Highland, Mich. native's seven hitless innings on the bump, the Cavaliers took game one, 4-0, before falling via a walk-off error in game two, 4-3. Montreat's record now stands at 1-5 on the season.
Jaworski stole the spotlight in game one with a near-perfect performance against the Royals. Not only did the Mott Community College transfer hold Warner hitless through seven innings on the mound, but he also never allowed a runner to reach third base safely. The Royals moved a man to second base just twice in game one, but that's as far as those runners advanced.
To finish off his no-hitter, Jaworski only needed a little help from the Cavalier offense. For a while, Warner pitching held the visitors off the scoreboard. Montreat had multiple runners on base in the top of the third and fourth innings, and it had a runner in scoring position in the fifth as well; however, the Cavs started 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, and they failed to produce a run through six scoreless innings.
Montreat's fortune changed in the top of the seventh inning, though, making Jaworski's no-hitter a possibility.
Necumba Booker Jr. led off the inning with a walk, and
Zeb Marquis utilized a single off the pitcher plus a throwing error to place runners at second and third base. Then,
Caleb Abshier broke the deadlock by ripping a single past the diving shortstop, plating a pair of runs. Just a few batters later,
Tarik Latchmansingh put the exclamation point on the 4-run inning as he launched a 2-run moonshot over the fence in left center.
Only three outs away, Jaworski finished off his no-no with minimal drama. Working around a hit-by-pitch, Jaworski recorded a line out, a fly out and a ground out to seal the deal and snag a 4-0 Montreat victory. The redshirt sophomore struck out eight batters as he tossed Montreat's first no-hitter since a 7-0 win over Cincinnati Christian on Feb. 9, 2019, a date almost exactly four years ago.
"Obviously, it was a very special game for Case today," said head coach
Jason Beck. "He pitched tremendously and with a ton of heart in a battle to the end. It was a huge and memorable win for us, and hopefully just the beginning."
At the dish, Latchmansingh (3-4) tallied half of the Cavaliers' six hits in game one, and both he and Abshier notched two RBIs to plate Montreat's four runs.
After being held hitless in game one, Warner started off game two with back-to-back hits in the bottom of the first inning. The Royals ultimately totaled four hits in the frame, and a sacrifice fly put the hosts in front of the Cavs by a run through one (1-0).
Warner (4-4) pushed two more runs across in the third thanks to a pair of singles, a walk and an error. As a result, the hosts owned a 3-0 lead over the Cavaliers midway through the ballgame.
A couple of early double plays erased scoring opportunities for Montreat in the initial few frames, but the visitors managed to get on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth.
Norman Kelly smoked a double into left field to open the inning, and he utilized his speed to score all the way from second on a throwing error just two batters later.
Down to their last chance, the Cavaliers made the most of their opportunity. Kelly drew a 1-out walk in the top of the seventh, and with two outs, Abshier sent a 2-run blast into orbit, tying the contest at three with his clutch homer to left field.
Despite having seen its lead evaporate with one swing of the bat, Warner was unfazed. The Royals came right back with a single and a double, and with the bases loaded, the hosts seized a 4-3 walk-off win on a fielding error.
"In the second game, we showed a ton of fight but just came up short at the end," Beck added. "We will continue to get better every game. Anytime you can play two games like today against a team that went to the first round of nationals last year is usually a good sign.
Kelly (2-2) notched two of Montreat's four knocks as the Cavs were outhit in game two, 10-4. The Decatur, Ga. native also scored two of the Cavaliers' three runs and drew the visitors' lone walk.
Caden Wright (1.2 IP) and
Hiroki Shimazu (1.0 IP) each threw at least one scoreless inning of relief in the defeat.
The Montreat baseball team continues its 4-game set with the (RV) Warner University Royals tomorrow afternoon. First pitch of game one is slated for 12:00 p.m. in Lake Wales, Fla.
