Tim Kiely pitched the 13th
perfect game in D-III baseball history. Trinity (Conn.) athletics photo |
On Saturday April 21, Junior right-handed pitcher Tim Kiely
pitched the first perfect game in the 139-year history of Trinity
(Conn.) and 13th ever in Division III Baseball history to lead the
Bantams to a 4-0 win in the first game and a split in the
doubleheader against the visiting Tufts Jumbos in NESCAC East
Division action. The Bantams, ranked No. 2 in New England and No.
20 in the nation, dropped the second game, 13-6. Trinity is now
22-5 overall and finishes 8-4 in the NESCAC East Division. Tufts,
ranked No. 5 in New England, moves to 17-8 overall and 7-2 in the
division.
Kiely struck out six of the first nine batters he faced, finishing
with nine strikeouts for the day, and allowed just two routine fly
balls to leave the infield in an efficient, 79-pitch performance.
The closest Tufts came to reaching base was a liner over the head
of Trinity shortstop Tom DiBenedetto that the junior leaped for and
caught at the peak of his jump to save the perfect game. Trinity
scored three runs in fourth inning on a leadoff double by freshman
first baseman Kent Graham, a single by junior outfielder Matt
Stafford that scored Graham after it was misplayed by the Tufts
centerfielder, and a two-run homer run by freshman outfielder James
Wood. Bantam junior third baseman Guy Gogliettino tripled in an
insurance run in the sixth frame. Tufts junior pitcher Adam Telian
also went the distance, striking out four and scattering 10 hits in
a losing effort.