It may have been the familiar confines of trusty old Murnane Field, or it may have been the drive of a 22 year old kid hoping to continue his college baseball career. There could have been a hundred reasons why Paul Bianco returned to the mound at Murnane tonight for the Utica Brewers and pitched a no-hitter against the Syracuse Salt Cats in his return to baseball, after a year long absence, in the opening night of Eastern Collegiate Baseball League action.
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"Oh God, it feels incredible," Bianco told MHTS moments after the first no-hitter of his baseball career, which includes four years at Proctor High School and two more seasons with the MVCC Hawks.
Bianco fanned 15, walked 3 and his team made just one defensive error enroute to the right hander's gem. "I'd have to say it was my curve ball today. I was able to throw it for a strike when I needed it and after that the change up kept them guessing," Bianco further explained.
(Paul Bianco (6) delivers a first inning pitch.)
The only Brewers error came on Bianco's first pitch of the ball game, which was mishandled by Utica shortstop Alberto Rodriguez, allowing Syracuse's Nick Ventura to reach first. Bianco settled in and fanned the next three Cats in order to end the first inning threat.
Utica put three runs on the board in the home half of the first, when, Indiana University's Daniel Iturrey and HCCC grad and Slippery Rock University recruit, Lee Foxton belted consecutive singles to get things started.
Iturrey and Foxton moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Iturrey scored on a two out single by Andrew Garcia (Odessa College). Foxton crossed home on another passed ball.
(Syracuse shortstop Nick Ventura fires to first on the run.)
Utica's third run of the inning came when Carlos Garcia (Univsersity of South Florida), reached on a dropped third strike and was later driven in on a two out single by Nate Novak to send
Utica to the top of the second with a 3-0 lead.
The second inning may have been Bianco's roughest. After a quick ground out and a strikeout, Bianco hit Syracuse's Mike Martinez with a pitch and then walked Peter Venuti to put the Cats in business with two outs.
Bianco then fanned Noah Donch for the third out, keeping Syracuse off the board.
Lee Foxton scored his second run of the game for Utica in the home half of the third inning, after drawing a leadoff walk, went to third on an infield hit by Nate Novak and scored on a fielder's choice, off the bat of Nate Nowak, to make it 4-0 after three innings.
(Utica Brewers Ed George (1) (MCLA) dives back to the bag, as Syracuse third baseman Mike Hutchings (24) applies the tag on a fielder's choice put out.)
Bianco tallied his 8th and 9th strikeouts of the game and after a ground ball for the third out, Utica came up to bat in the bottom of the fourth.
Daniel Itturey scored the Brewers 5th run of the game in the home half of the fourth after reaching on an infield hit and later scoring on a single by Lee Foxton.
Brewers infielders Alberto Rodriguez (St. Peters University), the nephew of New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez, and second baseman Lee Foxton (Tiffin University) turned a gorgeous 6-4-3 double play to end the top of the fifth inning, giving Paul Bianco a huge boost toward the no-hitter bid.
After the Brew Crew went scoreless in the bottom of the fifth, Bianco rode that sharp breaking pitch in the top of the sixth, gathering his 10th and 11th strikeouts on the evening.
Utica added it's 6th and 7th runs of the evening in the bottom of the 6th when Jeff Kodys (Anna Maria College) led off with a single to right and Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to give the Brewers runners at first and second with nobody out.
RBI singles by Iturrey and Garcia brought Kodys and Rodriguez in for Utica's final runs of the game.
With a head of steam and one of baseball's most difficult accomplishments standing in front of him, Paul Bianco made his way to the mound in the top of the 7th.
Bianco quickly dispatched Syracuse catcher Connor Thompson on a strikeout. One down!
Dan Gasapo then stepped in and sent a fly ball down the right field line which gave every Brewer fan a reason for concern as it looked like it might stay fair.
Utica's Adam Cutspec made a valiant effort to make the catch, but could not. The baseball gods were smiling on Bianco, however, as the ball sailed harmlessly foul.
Bianco got Gasapo to fly out to center field for the second out. One more to go! Bianco's third pitch to Mike Hutchings was bounced to Rodriguez at short, who calmly fired to Garcia at first to end the game.
(Paul Bianco (Utica, NY) looks to the sky after finishing off a no-hit performance against the Syracuce Salt Cats on opening night of Eastern Collegiate Baseball League action.)
An ecstatic Bianco threw his hands into the sky and jumped into the arms of battery mate Jeff Kodys to celebrate the amazing feat!
Following the celebration with his teammates and his Dad, who sweated out the game from the first base fence line, Bianco explained why this was just so special. "I haven't pitched in a year. I suffered from some shoulder troubles and went through an extensive rehab program. I really didn't know what to expect tonight," Bianco said, adding, "I was just hitting my spots and with these guys making great plays behind me and putting seven runs on the board, I couldn't ask for anything more."
The Brewers were led offensively by Lee Foxton (who may be nicknamed "Deuce") who went 2 for 2 at the plate, walked twice, scored twice, stole two bases and drove in 2 runs in the Brewers season opening win. James Williamson started and took the loss for Syracuse (0-1).
Bianco's gem was tossed in the first half of a season opening doubleheader. In the nightcap it was more of the same as Utica topped Syracuse 5-1 to complete the sweep.
Utica heads to Geneva for a doubleheader tomorrow and the Salt Cats return to Falcon Park in Auburn to host Oriskany tomorrow afternoon for a twin bill.
Utica Brewers 7 Syracuse Salt Cats 0
Box Score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Syracuse 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
Utica 3 0 1 1 0 2 x 7 9 1
(Brewers centerfielder Ed George (1) beats the heat with a little drink.)
