Garfield tops Ravenna 3-0 behind a no-hitter and 17 K’s from Aidan Hill on his night of milestones
KENT, OH- The Garfield G-MEN and Ravenna Ravens squared off at Schoonover Stadium on the campus of Kent State University on a beautiful 80 degree and sunny Thursday evening. Two of Portage County’s top pitchers took the mound with Aidan Hill toeing the rubber for Garfield and Connor Welling for the Ravens. It would turn out to be a special night for Hill as he needed 6 strikeouts for 100 on the season and 7 to reach the 200 mark of his high school career. He would get those and a lot more as the G-MEN shutout the Ravens 3-0.
The game began as a big time pitchers duel between Hill and Welling. It was a scoreless and hitless first two innings on both sides.
Connor Welling ends the 3rd with his 3rd K of the inning
Garfield would get the first hit in the top of the 3rd on a Carson Norton one out single, but Welling would strikeout the next two batters, striking out three in the inning. In the bottom half the Ravens would get their first baserunner after a walk to Rylan Eldredge. The inning began with the 100th strikeout of Aidan Hill’s season and ended with the 200th strikeout of his high school career. No score after three.
Aidan Hill records strikeout #100 on the season & #200 for his high school career in the 3rd inning
Garfield would break through against Welling in the top of the 4th. With one out, Hill sent a liner over the centerfielders head that resulted in a triple. Jared Cardinal then brought him home with an RBI single to left for the first run of the game.
Jared Cardinal singles home Hill in the 4th for Garfield’s first run
Cardinal would then score on a wild pitch in the next at bat and Garfield would take a 2-0 lead.
Jared Cardinal scores on a wild pitch in the 4th for Garfield
Ravenna would get another baserunner in the bottom half after a one out walk to Logan Hysell, but Hill would strikeout the next two batters giving him 9 for the game. Garfield led 4-0 after four.
WWW.DAYSTARFORDOFGARRETTSVILLE.COM
Welling pitched a 1-2-3 top of the 5th for the Ravens. They would get another baserunner in the bottom half after a two out walk to Peter Jennings, but Hill would end the inning with his 12th strikeout.
After a quiet 6th inning for both squads, the G-MEN would add an insurance run in the top of the 7th. Garet Warnick tripled to lead-off the inning and came home on an RBI groundout by Nate Bacskowski extending the lead to 3-0.
Hill entered the bottom half having allowed only the 3 walks and no hits through the first six innings. He would finish off the Ravens and the no-hitter with a 1-2-3 7th striking out the final two batters to give him 17 for the game. The G-MEN prevailed 3-0.
Aidan Hill strikes out the final batter of the game for his 17th K completing the no-hitter
It was a masterful performance on the rubber by Hill with the 7 inning no-hitter and 17 strikeouts. He was 1/3 at the plate with a triple and a run scored. Jared Cardinal was 1/3 with an RBI.
Connor Welling pitched very well for the Ravens allowing 3 earned runs in 7 innings with 10 strikeouts.
