Central pitcher Joe Clark tossed a perfect game Tuesday evening to lead the Purple Pounders to a 14-0 win over district rival Red Bank.
photo by M.A. Locke
Joe Clark took domination to another level Tuesday night at Red Bank.
Facing the Lions in a key District 6-AA baseball game, the 18-year-old senior took matters into his own hands, firing a perfect game as the visiting Purple Pounders improved to 8-6 overall and 6-0 in district play with the 14-0 win.
He needed just 67 pitches to get the job done -- including 49 strikes and 18 balls -- and he had a season-high 11 strikeouts.
Meanwhile, the Central offense offered plenty of support as it scored at least two runs in four of the six innings, putting things away with a six-run sixth.
Clark then finished with a flourish, striking out the side in the sixth as Central players rushed the mound to congratulate him when the gem was finished.
"I was feeling it from the beginning as I was hitting my spots inside and out," Clark said before getting an ice water shower from his teammates.
"I'm not normally a strikeout pitcher, but my curve was working. I had a chance to put the game away in the fifth, but I flied out, so I knew I had to get those last three outs in the sixth," he added.
While Clark was doing his job on the mound, he joined teammate Andrew Bingham as two Central players with three hits apiece.
Tanner Mowery, Micah Weaver, Paul Taylor and Sebastian Gayton all had two each while Walker Waters, Ryan Montgomery, Dillard Hawkins and Cody Reels had one apiece.
While Clark was the winning pitcher for Central, improving to 3-0 on the young season, Izak Sullivan was the loser for Red Bank after allowing 12 runs on 15 hits. He also had one strikeout and walked two before being replaced by Caleb Tate after facing the first four hitters in the Central sixth.
Central coach Glen Carter has been around prep baseball for a long time and he's seen more than his share of no-hitters, but Tuesday was his first to be part of a perfect game.
"That was a great job by Joe. I've never been part of one of those before," he praised his lanky right-hander after the masterful job was complete.
"Joe did his job, but everyone behind him did their job as well. And we're starting to hit the ball better. Joe had 11 strikeouts, so we had to make seven plays behind him and we did. We just have to stay hot as we have a big weekend ahead," Carter added, noting that the annual Pounder Classic will start on Wednesday before concluding with the championship game on Saturday night.
It's been a frustrating string of games for the Lions and head coach Trey Hicks. Red Bank is now 3-9 overall and 2-2 in district play.
"Hats off to the Central pitcher as he came out and threw strikes from the start. We didn't adjust. And they hit the ball well and we didn't, but I'll take full blame for our lack of preparation in recent games. We just have to move on and get ready for another district game with East Ridge on Monday.
"I think we've played 14 games in the past 16 days, so we're tired and need a break. We'll take the rest of the week off and come back on Monday hopefully ready to play," Hicks said matter of factly.
Leadoff man Bingham had a double and two singles in his first three at-bats and scored all three times. His single in the fourth drove in two runs while a grounder to second in the sixth drove in another.
Clark had three singles after grounding to second in his first at-bat and he also had two runs batted in.
Taylor came on as a pinch-hitter in fifth and had two hits in his two times up, including a two-run double in the six-run sixth.
Every Central starter except designated hitter Tucker Smith had at least one hit.
The Purple Pounders return to action at home on Wednesday when they face Fairborn, a team from Ohio at 5:15 in the first day of the Pounder Classic.
Red Bank returns to action on Monday with a home game against East Ridge.
CENTRAL 220 406 -- 14 18 0
RED BANK 000 000 -- 0 0 2
Clark and McKinney; Sullivan, Tate (6) and Stancel.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)