Panthers’ offense explodes, Pratte throws no-hitter against Knights

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Last year, the Central Knights eliminated the Johnston baseball team from the Division I playoffs behind a gem from pitcher Erry Baldayac. He could not recreate that performance this year, as the Panthers’ Jacob Pratte tossed a six-inning no-hitter Tuesday night to lead Johnston to a 10-0 victory in their first round playoff game at Johnston Memorial Park.

“A tremendous job by Jacob Pratte,” said Johnston head coach Stephen DeMeo. “He showed why he is our No. 1 guy. He deserves a lot of credit and has kept us alive all year.”

Johnston entered the game as the No. 2 seed in the Division I-B regional pod four. It finished the regular season with a 13-5 record, while Central, the No. 7 seed, finished with an 8-10 mark.

The Panthers remembered the outcome of last spring's disappointing playoff loss to the Knights, and would make sure it did not happen two years in a row.

Pratte was fantastic the entire game. He retired 13 batters in a row at one point, walked just two and induced nine ground ball outs.

Ironically, it was Pratte who was the losing pitcher in that 6-2 playoff loss to the Knights last year, as he was pressed into the starting lineup at the last minute after scheduled starter Jake Podmaska was injured prior to the start of the game. However, it was Pratte who would own the night and the Knights this year.

The game was scoreless going into the fourth inning. Nick Raposo laid down a nice bunt for a hit and would score on three consecutive wild pitches by Baldayac for a 1-0 lead. The Panthers would score five runs in the fifth inning to break the game open. Pratte singled to left to get things started as 10 Panthers came to bat in the inning. John Willette laced a two-run single up the middle and Emilio Rodriguez knocked in another run with a base hit.

The Panthers would chase Baldayac from the game after a Joe Michael single, as the Central starter struggled with his control, throwing five wild pitches despite striking out seven batters in the game. Alexis Mena came in to pitch for the Knights and did not fare any better than Baldayac. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Mena gave up four runs, which invoked the mercy rule. Rodriguez’s sacrifice fly plated one run and Luis Nunez walked with the bases loaded to force in another run. The final two runs came on wild pitches, the latter with Pratte at the plate to end the game and preserve his no-hitter.

The two Central pitchers combined for nine wild pitches in the game.

“We took advantage of their mistakes,” DeMeo said. “Offensively and defensively, we did not let up and when our guy Pratte is throwing strikes, the defense is much more alive. We came through with some big hits, we put the ball in play a few times that put the pressure on their defense and Jacob did the rest. He took us home tonight, and hopefully we can get another start out of him in the final four. It’s good to start off with a win – it’s important to stay out of the losers’ bracket. You could wind up playing five games in seven days.”

“You can't win with no runs,” said Central head coach David Hanson. “The difference in the game was that one pitcher had poise and the other did not. You have to have poise.”

Asked if he knew he had a no-hitter, Pratte said, “It was in the back of my mind. You don't want to think about it, talk about it or say anything. I wanted to go out there and get the last three outs. I didn’t know the game was over in the sixth inning. I was just locked in the whole game, especially when you have these guys behind you backing you up.”

With the win, the Panthers earned another home game on Wednesday against Moses Brown. The winner of that game will play on Saturday. Results were unavailable at press time.

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