It may have taken until March 30 for the Lancaster Bible baseball team to play its first home games of the season, but considering the pitching dominance that was showcased and the history that was made, the waiting was well worth it. Lancaster Bible junior Nate Burns threw the program's first no-hitter in game one to guide the Chargers to a 16-0 victory over Valley Forge, while Zack Leonardgave up one hit over four innings in game two as Lancaster Bible cruised to a 10-0 win at Charger Field.
In game one, Burns made quick work of the Patriots in the first and then got eight runs of support in the bottom half of the inning as the Chargers sent 13 batters to the plate. The inning featured a two-run double by Justin Taylor and a three-run triple from freshman Josh Mayer. Mayer finished the game 4-for-6 with two runs scored and three runs batted in.
Burns was in control the entire game and struck out 10 of the 12 batters he faced between the second and fifth innings. He finished with 13 strikeouts and three walks. The no-hitter nearly ended two batters into the game as Valley Forge's second batter, Matthew Buckery hit a pop fly between second base and center field that caused some initial confusion between Mayer and center fielder Hunter Gray, but Gray kept charging in and made a diving catch just before the ball hit the ground.
From there it was cruise control for Burns as he had no trouble of any kind until the seventh when he loaded the bases with one out thanks to two walks and a hit batter. Burns regained his composure and got Tyler Logan to ground into a double play as Mayer, Braden Elliott and Jimmy Eagan turned a perfect double play.
"Honestly I'm humbled," Burns said. "Between Hunter saving that fly ball, Justin making plays at short and the double play at the end, it just showed me how much those guys matter behind me. To be the first in program history to throw a no-hitter is an honor and I'm still kind of baffled that it happened. I think it shows the talent we are starting to bring into the program and the strides forward we are continuing to make."
After shaky starts in Florida, Burns was on top of his game on Monday, something he mentally prepared for prior to the game.
"The difference today for me was just hitting spots and really working my off-speed stuff and finding a rhythm and controlling the pace of the game," Burns said. "The guys also made plays in the field which obviously saved me at the end."
Taylor finished 3-for-5 with three RBI in game one, while senior Nate Long was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Erich Carroll, Jimmy Eagan and Nate Staffieri also had two hits apiece for the Chargers.
Game two featured another dominating pitching performance as freshman Zack Leonard pitched four innings of one-hit ball and struck out 10 of the 14 batters he faced. The victory was the first of Leonard's collegiate career.
Lancaster Bible scored all 10 of its runs in the first three innings, including five in the bottom of the second. Taylor was at it again as he was 2-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI. Carroll added two more hits, whileAustin Masser, Ian Ebersole, Hunter Gray, Ryan Hartline, Mayer and Long also had hits for the Chargers.
Lancaster Bible is now 2-8 this season, while the Patriots fell to 1-13.
The Chargers are back in action on Tuesday when they host Lincoln Christian (Ill.) at 1 p.m. for a doubleheader.
Notes:
-Sophomore Kelsey Collins threw the first no-hitter in softball program history last season at St. Elizabeth.