Buys throws no-hitter in PCA victory

Published 11:24 am Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Years from now, when Talbot Buys spins the tale of his first high school no-hitter, he can proudly state there wasn’t a ball hit out of the infield. He can talk about striking out five batters in a row, play up the drama of how there was one that one guy he couldn’t get out, and boast that he only had to throw 55 pitches.

He doesn’t have to mention the game only lasted three innings.

Buys, Porters Chapel Academy’s big senior right-hander, tossed the mercy rule-shortened no-no in the first game of a doubleheader against Veritas Tuesday afternoon. The Eagles backed him with 10 hits and rolled to a 16-0 victory.

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The only batter who reached base against Buys was Will Earnhardt, who walked in the first inning and was hit by a pitch in the third.

“It feels great. It’s my first one. I started to hit my spots and locate well,” Buys said, adding with a laugh, “I’m just going to say it’s a no-hitter.”

PCA went on to win game two of the doubleheader, 19-9, to remain undefeated in District 5-A. They’re 4-0 in the district, 4-2 overall, and in first place. PCA will play a home-and-home district series with Newton Academy on Monday and Tuesday, then head off for spring break.

Even though there’s a month remaining in the season, coach Wade Patrick said it was an important mile marker on the path to a championship.

“We’ve got to win conference games, because that’s what’s going to get us to the playoffs,” Patrick said. “The way it’s worked out in the past, I’ve seen, is the team that’s in first place at spring break is usually the one that’s in playoff contention. So that’s what our goal is, is to be undefeated when that time comes.”

Besides Buys’ strong effort on the mound, the Eagles benefited Tuesday from a Veritas squad that struggled in the field as much as at the plate.

Veritas committed 12 errors in the doubleheader — six in each game — and threw 10 wild pitches in game one. The defensive ineptitude allowed PCA to bat around in the first inning of game one, then send 17 men to the plate in the second.