Westran’s Hunt posts 17 K’s in no-hitter win over Macon

The Westran Hornets baseball team invited the Macon Tigers to Huntsville last Thursday for a non-conference contest.

Flamethrower Tyler Hunt was on the mound for the Hornets making his fourth pitching appearance this year. Hunt made quick work of the Tigers in the first inning retiring them in order. This would not be the same for Westran. In the bottom of the inning lead-off hitter Reggie Nute started the game with a solo home run to left field. Back to back doubles by Drake Buffington and Tyler Hunt, and a single by Bradley Minor would allow the Hornets to put up two more runs in the first.

Macon was unable to get a hit in the second but allowed a run in the bottom half of the inning making the Westran lead 4-0. The Hornets added two more in the bottom of the third when junior Matt George tripled to left center extending the lead to 6-0.

Tyler Hunt would strike out the side in the third inning as well as the sixth and seventh inning and fanned a total of 17 in the game. Hunt never gave up a hit in his near perfect performance only allowing three base runners from a walk and two fielding errors.

At the plate for Westran Reggie Nute, Drake Buffington, Tyler Hunt, Bradley Minor, Wade Wilhite, and Matt George all collected two hits while Tyler Aulber and Tycie Linneman went 1-3.

After the game Westran Coach Lance Massey comments on the win “This is a good win, Westran traditionally we’ve been pretty competitive in baseball and traditionally I don’t think we’ve beat Macon very often with our good years, bad years or in between so Macon is a good win for us.”

Coach Massey was very pleased with Tyler Hunt’s performance on the mound and made these comments on how Tyler is developing as a pitcher.

“His velocity was up, he kept his pitch count down he was under 80 today through seven. Against Harrisburg the other day that’s where he got in trouble is when he got his pitch count up his velocity came down and after seeing a good velocity for four innings in that fifth inning with it [velocity] being a little lower it was more hittable. When he keeps his pitch count down his velocity stays good and I think his velocity was as good today in the seventh as it was in the third and maybe better. The thing that I’m really happy about not necessarily the no hitter was he only had one walk. He was hitting location and when he missed he missed in good locations and that reflects his pitch count and his velocity.

Coach Harvey made the comment during the game when he really learns how to pitch he’s going to be really tough and he’s already tough now.

“When he knows he’s going to throw a fastball on the inside corner or break a curveball off  he’s going to be tough to hit,” said Harvey.

Photo above: Tyler Hunt helps his own cause as he slides in safely after stealing second in the game against Macon. It was definitely Hunt’s night for baseball as he kept the Tigers hitless and posted 17 strikeouts.