Knights’ Jerger throws no-hitter

COCHRAN, Georgia (MGSC ATHLETICS) – Tay Jerger (JR/Tallahassee, FL) threw 113 pitches on Saturday afternoon on his way to a complete game (9 innings) no-hitter for the Knights against the Loyola University Wolfpack. The Knights gave Jerger 5 runs of support including Jerger scoring a run and driving in a run of his own in the 5-0 win. Jerger struck out 4 and walked 3 to get the win facing just 29 batters in the game and earn the first no-hitter for the Knights as a member of the SSAC and NAIA. The win puts the Knights at 11-18 on the year and 6-12 in SSAC play.

Jerger sat down the Wolfpack 1-2-3 in each of the first 2 innings before walking the 3rd batter in the top of the 3rd. He kept his batters faced to only 9 picking off the runner at first after just one pitch to the next batter. The Knights also struggled through the first 3 innings before Peyton Kell (SO/Lizella, GA) gave the team the lead in the bottom of the 4th with a RBI single that scored Jerger from second. Jerger sat the Wolfpack hitters down 1-2-3 in the 4th, 5th, and 6th inning before a runner reached on Hank Steele (FR/Covington, GA)’s error on a ground ball to short but Jerger got a ground ball and to fly ball outs to get out of the inning. The Knights got 2 runs in the 7th with some 2-out magic getting a walk and error ahead of Tristan Goodro (FR/Ludowici, GA)’s RBI single that scored Clint Wynn (JR/Warner Robins, GA). Jerger was the next batter and doubled to score Ayers and extend his lead to 3-0 which he carried to the top of 8. Jerger walked the lead-off hitter in the 8th before getting a fly ball and a double play to end the inning. The Knights picked up 2 more in the bottom of the 8th when Clint Wynn came up with 2 outs and singled home Donovan Campbell (JR/Cottageville, SC) and Logan Smith (SO/Mcdonough,GA) (SO/McDonough,GA) to make it 5-0 in favor of the Knights. Jerger then walked the first batter of the 9th and got two fly balls to bring up the final batter of the game. Jerger got a ground ball to short that was cut off by third baseman Sam Ayers (SO/White, GA) who flipped to Campbell at second for the force out and complete the no-hitter for Jerger.

Jerger got some help from his defense on the day as Ayers made a diving stop in the top of the 6th throwing out the runner at 1st to preserve the game and Dusty Jones (JR/Cochran, GA) made a sliding catch in left-center that almost dropped in for a hit in the 4th along with catches and throws by everyone on defense to back him up and allow him to just get the ball over the last couple of innings.

The Knights play next on Tuesday at home in Cochran when they host Thomas University for a single game at 3:00 PM. The team will then travel to Taccoa Falls College for a game on Wednesday and a 3-game series at Bethel (TN) starting Friday the 27th.