Frank and Walker Combine for No-Hitter to Lead Wildcats

By Joe Walker

MILL HALL – Central Mountain Wildcat pitchers Austin Frank and Blake Walker combined to toss a no-hitter and got offensive support from a 14-hit Wildcat hitting attack, as the Wildcats cruised to a 15-0 win over the Jersey Shore Bulldogs in a four inning Heartland Conference contest. 

Frank worked the first three innings to earn the win, as he fanned five and allowed just two walks, while Walker pitched the fourth inning, as he made his pitching debut by striking out all three batters he faced. 

Watt Probst and Nate Wian both went 3 for 3 at the plate, as Probst accounted for two doubles in his three hits. Isaiah Maldonaldo had two hits, while Brady Lavelle, Darius Shade, Felix Oquendo, Gavin Karstetter, Malaky Moyd and Walker all added one hit apiece. Moyd had a triple, while Lavelle and Walker both added doubles. 

The Wildcats wasted no time in setting the tone, as they batted around and tallied seven runs in the bottom of the first inning. Maldonaldo and Moyd walked, while Lavelle, Probst and Wian all added a hit, Lavelles’ being a double. Bryce Brungard had a sac-fly out for a RBI and the Bulldogs committed two errors to aid the Wildcat offense. 

The Wildcat tallied three more in the bottom of the second on a double by Priobst, a walk to Moyd and then singles by Wian, Shade and Maldonaldo. The Bulldogs forced the Wildcats to leave the bases loaded to get out of further trouble. 

The Wildcats plated three more in the third inning, as Walker reached on a walk, Probst doubled again, Moyd then tripled and Wian filled with his third single. The Bulldogs got out of another bases loaded situation by turning a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning with the Wildcats up 13-0. 

The Wildcats ended the game in the bottom of the fourth by the 15-run rule, as Oquendo led off with a single, followed by a Karstetter single and then a double by Walker scored both runners to end the contest. 

Hunter Enders, Carson Watkins, Tucker Hanna and Austin Rhinehart all saw mound duty for the Bulldogs, as they combined to surrender the 14 hits, while walking five, one hit batter and striking out just one batter. 

“It was an all-around team effort today, as everyone was contributing. Austin (Frank) did a great job on the mound, as he got himself behind some hitters and surrendered a few walks, but he battled through it and pitched a very good game and didn’t give up a hit. Blake (Walker) made his pitching debut a big success, coming in and just throwing hard and throwing strikes.” commented a happy Wildcat head coach Mike Karmer.

“The guys did a great job at the plate, they were throwing some off speed pitches at us and the guys did a nice job of adjusting to it. Then we had guys come off the bench and produce hits as well, as I said a total team effort today”, added Kramer. 

The Wildcats improve to 12-0 on the season and will be in action on Friday, when they will host the Punxsutawney Chucks at Kramer Field. Action gets started at 3;30 pm, as the two teams will finish the first game the two teams played in Punxsutawney, as it was halted by rain in the third inning with the Wildcats leading 6-2. The regular scheduled game is then slated to start at 4:30 pm.