Rams' Hardy Tosses No-Hitter in Conference Opener
SNOW HILL—The Greene Central Rams (5-0) continued their excellent start to the 2023-24 season as they shut out North Pitt with a score of 12-0 in a commanding display that echoed their dominance from last season. Head coach Ben Brann emphasized the importance of approaching every game with maximum effort, knowing full well that as conference champions, they now bear the mark of the team to beat.
"We ran the table in conference last year, and we know everyone this year is going to give us their best. So I told them we got to come out to give our best every game," Brann remarked before the game.
True to his word, the Rams showed up with the intensity that has become their hallmark. Ben Brann's philosophy of each game starting at "zero to zero" instills a sense of fresh competition and focus.
Austin Hardy, Greene Central’s towering lefty, was a force on the mound, throwing a near-perfect 5 scoreless innings. Hardy's exceptional performance resulted in 14 strikeouts, no-hitter in 5 scoreless innings. Hardy acknowledged the tension of pitching a perfect game, stating, "I thought about it, I knew it, but it's baseball."
Behind the plate, Will Radford, called a game that allowed Hardy to shine. "Will called a great game for me tonight," Hardy credited his catcher, illustrating the teamwork that contributes to individual accolades.
Hardy so far this season has 34 strikeouts while only facing 39 batters. Allowing only one hit and walking just two batters out of 39 is an amazing start to the season.
Beyond Hardy's individual brilliance, Greene Central's offense was firing on all cylinders. They accumulated 11 hits, with notable performances by Branden Burress, Cam Taylor, Jordan Scott and Will Radford, who all managed to get two hits each.
As Greene Central prepares to travel to North Pitt for their next game on Thursday, they carry with them the momentum of their dominant start to the season and the strategic insights of coach Brann, ensuring they do not rest on their laurels. The Rams have set the pace, but in the realm of high school sports, each game is a new challenge, and Greene Central seems ready to rise to the occasion once more.
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