JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -- There are bound to be firsts in a team’s inaugural season. However, Tri-State proved on Wednesday evening that not all of a team’s first moments are created equal. Four pitchers combined their efforts for the first no-hitter in Tri-State Coal Cats history, earning a 10-5 win over the Johnson City Doughboys.
Some may call it fitting that Cy Young, the namesake of the most prestigious pitching award himself, was the manager of the last Huntington-based Minor League team to toss a no-hitter. Traveling back to 1910, George Baumgardner of Huntington pitched a no-no against the Ashland-Cattletsburg Twins of the Virginia Valley League. More recently, this is also the first no-hitter in the Appalachian League since Baker Cox of the Elizabethton River Riders did so in July of last year.
But before Tri-State clinched this historic feat, the visitors got an early start in the batter’s box. Ryan Limerick led off the top of the second with his first home run of the season, a 385-foot shot to right field that gave the Cats a 1-0 lead.
In the middle innings, the Tri-State batting order got back on track. After scoring runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, Tri-State teed off during its next two trips to the dish.
With a 3-0 lead heading into the sixth, the Cats scored four runs on five hits, three of which led off the top half. In the seventh, the Coal Cats’ run total reached double digits after recording three hits and two walks.
Two-thirds of the Tri-State batting order ended the series finale with multi-hit performances. Leading the way and repeating his output from Tuesday night was first baseman Chace Chaplin, who ended both games of the series by going 3-for-5 at the plate.
On the mound, righty Josh Paulina was nearly flawless in his five innings of work. Though he allowed three baserunners on two walks and a hit-by-pitch, the starter shut down the Doughboys in five shutout innings while fanning six and allowing no hits.
Making a debut appearance in the midst of a no-hit bid is a tall order for a pitcher at any level but Jack Renaud rose to the occasion. Though Johnson City scored a run following a throwing error and walk, the pride of Queens University kept the bid alive and struck out one batter to end the sixth.
In the seventh, the Doughboys found ways to score despite a lack of hits. The Doughboys made it a 10-5 ballgame after putting up four runs with six batters reaching base. Nonetheless, Ben Roberts and Ryan Brown kept the Doughboys at bay through a hitless and hectic half-inning.
From there, Brown retired all six batters of the final two innings to clinch the combined no-hitter. A flyout to right fielder Michael Rodriguez sealed the Coal Cats’ historic and unorthodox 10-5 victory, one that snapped the team’s six-game losing streak.
Following the league’s first no-hitter with runs allowed since 1995, Tri-State improves to an 11-20 overall record and splits its series against Johnson City. Meanwhile, Johnson City exits with a record of 14-15. Moving forward, Tri-State faces the Elizabethton River Riders on Wednesday for the first game of a two-game series at 7 p.m.
