As the game went on Kevin Banas knew what he had in progress. The glowing yellow zero on Mackenzie Stadium’s left field scoreboard in Southern Vermont’s hit column was hard to ignore.
But the Elms College sophomore right-hander from Hatfield didn’t think much about it. Nobody said the forbidden phrase to him Tuesday, but unlike in most bids for no-hitters, his teammates talked to him between innings like they would in any other game.
“I didn’t really think about it on the mound. I was just trying to get outs,” Banas said. “I had some run support behind me. When you can just focus on getting outs and let your teammates do the rest, it makes it a lot easier.”
He said he didn’t allow himself to really think about pursuing the no-hitter for most of the game. But an out away from the gem in the bottom of the seventh, he thought he’d lost it when SVC’s No. 3 hitter Zack Stacey hit a sinking liner toward center.
“That was a great running play,” Banas said. “I saw it go up and I knew it wasn’t deep enough to be a routine play. I was like ‘Uh, please don’t let it end like this.’”
Outfielder Alex Hoss came sprinting in to snare it to give Banas the first no-hitter he’s ever thrown at any level.
“It’s definitely something I’m going to be able to talk about and be proud of when I’m older,” Banas said.
Banas throws a fastball, change-up, curve ball and slider. His slider wasn’t sharp so he shelved it early and rode the other three. Two SVC players reached base, one on a walk and one on an error, but both were cut down trying to steal by catcher Nathan Ayala, a Chicopee grad.
Banas struck out six in the 6-0 victory. Afterward shortstop Benny Ross gave him the game ball, which Banas handed to his dad for safe keeping.
The game was the first of a doubleheader sweep over Southern Vermont that brought Elms to 9-18 overall and 5-6 in NECC conference play. Banas, who improved to 1-2 with a 4.20 ERA, hoped the two wins would spark the team.
“It’s all about momentum now,” he said.
NOTE: It was the second no-hitter in program history. Matt Wood threw the first on April 18, 2009 against Newbury.
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com.