MANSFIELD, Conn. – The last thing that graduate right-hander Nathan Furino (East Haven) may have envisioned after hitting two of the first four batters he faced in his fourth start of the year Tuesday afternoon, was etching his name into the Eastern Connecticut State University baseball record books.
Yet, that's exactly what happened, with Furino (4-0) tossing the 14th no-hitter in program history, facing only four hitters over the minimum in posting his first career complete game and leading his team to a 6-0 Little East Conference victory over Western Connecticut State University at the Eastern Baseball Stadium.
Furino's no-hitter comes two days after No. 12 nationally-ranked Eastern (22-6, 9-1 LEC) had a 20-game winning streak stopped, and keeps the Warriors unbeaten at home this year in 11 games.
The no-hitter was only the fourth nine-inning one ever by an Eastern pitcher and first in nine innings since lefty Chris Segalla no-hit Wentworth Institute of Technology, 14-0, 29 years ago at the old Alumni Field. Eastern's previous no-hitter against WestConn (4-18, 0-10 LEC) was authored by All-America righty Jeff Brewer, 15-0 in nine innings on May 4, 1981 at the old Alumni Field.
Eastern's last no-hitter was a combined one by Josh Vincent, Ryan Henderson and Andre José three years ago in an 11-0, seven-inning verdict against visiting Keene State College. The last complete-game no-hitter was thrown by righty Jordan Muchin on April 2, 2017 against Plymouth State University, also seven innings, at the Eastern Baseball Stadium.
Along with the no-hitter, Furino extended his consecutive inning streak without allowed an earned run to 29 1/3, dating back to March 14 against Johnson & Wales University. The Eastern record for most consecutive innings pitched without allowed an earned run is 52 2/3 by All-America and Alumni Hall of Fame righty Joey Serfass in 2003.
Furino needed only 103 pitches to secure the clean slate. He struck out nine, walked one and hit the aforementioned two batters, allowing only four balls out of the infield. After hitting two batters and allowing a sacrifice bunt in the first, Furino retired 18 straight (beginning with the final out of the first inning) before walking Thomas Keough with two out in the seventh. Furino fanned the side in the eighth and got an infield pop and two ground balls to end the game in the ninth. Furino completed the game by getting No. 3 hitter Nicholas Moeller on a ground ball to junior transfer third baseman Nick Montagna (Carmel, NY) on a 1-2 pitch.
Montagna and senior shortstop Zach Donahue (South Windsor) combined to make nine assists to preserve the no-hitter, with Donahue making the two most difficult plays that preserved the no-hitter – one on a leaping catch of a line drive and the other on a long jump-throw from the outfield grass after ranging to his right to backhand a ground ball.
Batting 1-2 in the order Donahue and junior centerfielder Ray Leonzi (Trumbull) extended on-base streaks to 23 and 17, respectively, each reaching three times.
Donahue slammed his team-leading seventh home run of the year leading off the third to make it 2-0, was intentionally walked during a two-run fourth, and doubled and scored the first of the team's two runs in the seventh. Leonzi had three singles, stole two bases and scored the second run in the seventh. Junior catcher Hank Penders (Wethersfield) also added two hits to the Warriors' 11-hit attack against three Western pitchers.
The staff leader in wins and ERA (0.41), Furino has struck out 28 and walked five in 33 1/3 innings this year, has allowed only three extra-base hits, and has limited batters to a .162 average.
Eastern hosts Wheaton College Thursday at 6 p.m. in a non-conference game.