Jack Leiter was six outs away from throwing consecutive nine-inning no-hitters. The Vanderbilt sophomore right-hander was slicing by way of the Missouri lineup Friday evening.
Then Commodores head coach Tim Corbin determined to provide Leiter the remainder of the evening off.
It was a sound long-term resolution. Leiter had thrown 101 pitches by way of seven innings, No. 1 Vandy was main the Tigers 11-0 and the Commodores’ season has about three extra months to run.
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However Leiter was attempting to go all Johnny Vander Meer in convention play. He no-hit South Carolina final Saturday on 124 pitches. Two extra environment friendly innings in opposition to Mizzou would have gotten him to that threshold once more.
Plus, he was nonetheless dealing like this within the seventh:
After dealing like this within the sixth:
So as an alternative of back-to-back no-hitters, Leiter now has a 16 2/3-inning hitless streak. The final hit he allowed was on March 13 in opposition to Oklahoma State. Total, he has given up seven hits and two runs (one earned) in 36 innings. He’s firmly on observe to affix dad Al, uncle Mark and cousin Mark as an expert pitcher this summer season.
In the event you’re questioning whether or not Vandy’s bullpen preserved the no-no: It didn’t. Mizzou managed two hits and three runs within the backside of the ninth. It is simply as properly. A mixed a no-hitter in a late-March SEC sport would have been underwhelming. Leiter going back-to-back would have been overwhelming.