FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
CARY, N.C. – The sophomore pitching trio of Sonny Gray (Vanderbilt), Kyle Winkler (Texas Christian) and Noe Ramirez (Cal State Fullerton) struck out 13 batters and combined to toss a no-hitter in the Collegiate National Teams 3-0 win Wednesday night over Korea.
Gray (1-0) retired 13 of the first 14 batters he faced issuing a walk to the third batter of the game on is way to a nine-strikeout performance. Winkler relieved Gray in the seventh retiring six of the seven batters he faced before Noe Ramirez shut the door on the Korean’s picking up the save after striking out the side in the ninth.
The no-hitter was the first since July 2, 2009 when a quartet of hurlers combined to no-hit Guatemala inside the National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
Team USA jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Jackie Bradley, Jr. (South Carolina) pushed across Drew Maggi (Arizona State) on a groundout to short. Maggi drew a leadoff walk then swiped his fourth and fifth bases of the tour before touching home.
Back-to-back RBI doubles by Nick Ramirez (Cal State Fullerton) and George Springer (Connecticut) in the eighth padded Team USA’s lead to three, 3-0. Bradley, Jr. singled to right to leadoff the inning then scored from first on Ramirez’ double down the right field line. Springer followed with a double of his own to the same spot of the field scoring Ramirez.
The Korean pitching staff struck out a combined 11 USA hitters with Chi Young Lim fanning five in the loss. Lim allowed one run on three hits and walked two before Ji Woong Yoon relieved him in the third frame, where he also allowed three hits over 3 2/3 innings with four punch outs.
Offensively Team USA had seven batters with at least one hit with Springer and Alex Dickerson (Indiana) leading the way with two each.
The two teams will be back in action in game two of the five-game friendly international series Thursday night with a 7:30 p.m. (EST) first pitch scheduled.
