| Sam Tinkham was nearly perfect on Thursday in a 1-0 win over Monmouth. Grinnell athletics photo |
It was a masterful pitching performance by Sam Tinkham '16. In nine full innings of work he allowed zero hits while facing the minimum number of Monmouth (10-9, 0-2) hitters. The only Scot to reach was via an error in the bottom half of the seventh inning and the Pioneers turned a double play on the very next hitter. Tinkham struck out 12 while walking none and only had a single three-ball count the entire day.
Though having come close before, this was Tinkham's first ever no-hitter and it was making some timely adjustments that helped out. "During my bullpen on Tuesday (at practice), I made some adjustments to get some pretty good sink and run on my fastball and I just tried to carry that over into the game. I just tried to get ahead with my fastball and then I really started to feel my changeup halfway through the game for my out-pitch. The second and third time through the order, we started throwing more breaking balls too to keep them off balance. It was really 'Atticus' (catcher Sam Galanek '18) doing a great job of calling the game."
The lone, and deciding, run came in the top of the fourth inning. Niko Takayesu '17 leadoff with a walk, Sam Galanek '18 put down a sacrifice bunt, moving Takayesu to second base. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Graham Fisher '16 drove home Takayesu with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Both offenses came to life in the nightcap, though Grinnell's took a little longer than the host's. Monmouth jumped out to quick 3-0 lead through three innings before a seventh inning rally put the Pioneers in front for good.
Anthony Mack '16 and Andrew Shults '19, subbing in for usual starter Ryan Penaflor '16, carried the Pioneers with two hits and two RBI each. Shults had the big blow on a two-run triple in the seventh to break open a one-run game. Mack had a bunt base hit on the next pitch to score Shults from third.
Charles Carr '19 got the start and went five innings allowing only two earned runs on five hits. Sam Lopez '18 came out of the bullpen and pitched a clean two innings of work and collected the win, as Grinnell took the lead with a five-run seventh inning. Ben Binversie '17 pitched the 8th while Matt Godinsky '16 pitched into and out of a jam in the final inning, managing to strike out the final Scot with the bases loaded.
Grinnell hosts Monmouth to round out their series at Pioneer Park on Saturday. First game is at 1pm and live webcast can be seen here: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/midwest/