Craft, Burden toss back-to-back no-hitters
Published 10:44 pm Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Seeing a no-hitter is unique, seeing consecutive no-hitters in a doubleheader is just plain special.
That’s exactly what the Charles Henderson High School junior varsity team did Tuesday night against Northview.
In the first game of the twin bill, Blake Craft tossed five innings to earn his first-ever no-hitter, striking out four while allowing two walks.
“I just mace out and did what I had to do to help the team win,” Craft said. “I just wanted to beat Northview.”
Craft said he didn’t think about having not allowed a hit until the fourth inning but didn’t let it affect his performance.
“I tried to keep my mind off of it,” Craft said. “No one really said anything to me, I just got up and did my normal thing.”
The Trojans got an RBI single from Jason Fleming and that would be all they would need in the 1-0 victory.
Xavius Burden finished the game 2-for-2 while Austin Ingram, Chase Hartley and Reilly Fox all added hits.
Burden, not to be outdone, took the mound in the second game and fired the second no-no of the day.
“I felt good out there,” Burden said. “I didn’t realize it until midway through the game.”
Burden walked five but was the beneficiary of several solid defensive plays as the Trojans came away with the 13-0 win.
“The team was excited,” Burden said. “That’s the first no-hitter I’ve ever thrown so it was exciting.”
Austin Ingram had a whale of a game in the nightcap. Ingram launched a grand slam in the first inning and a 2-run homer in the fourth.
Hunter Baggett was 2-for-3 in the game. Fleming and John Michael Stephens were 2-for-2. Hartley also had a hit.
“I’ve seen no-hitters but I can’t say I’ve ever send two back-to-back,” head coach Sam Kitchens said. “The key was that we played good defense behind our guys on the mound.”
Charles Henderson’s junior varsity will return to action tonight against Gadsden City at 4:30p.m.