BUFORD — Justin Glover and the Buford coaching staff saw something during Wednesday’s nail-biting 7-5 win over North Hall they hoped to exploit Friday when the two teams’ resumed their home-and-home series at Gerald McQuaig Field.
“North Hall attacks the ball and we wanted to try and keep them off-balance this time around,” Buford coach Tony Wolfe said. “Justin did a great job of doing that.”
Did he ever.
The senior southpaw allowed just four baserunners and recorded his first-ever seven inning no-hitter in leading the Wolves to a 5-0 win.
“I was able to move my fastball in and out and mix in some off-speed stuff,” said Glover, a University of Georgia-signee. “North Hall can hit the fastball but I just wanted to slow down from time to time. I’ve been throwing well all year but it just kind of came together (tonight). (North Hall) always has a tough lineup so to be able to get my first seven inning no-hitter in a situation like this is awesome.”
The win for the Wolves (15-2, 8-0 Region 8-AAAA) gives them a sweep over their rivals and pushes North Hall (12-7, 7-3) into third place behind Madison County (16-2, 7-2).
Glover said he wasn’t worried about missing out on his chance at history.
“I knew I had one going into the last inning but I still interacted with the guys. I’m not superstitious like that. I wanted to get it but if it didn’t happen as long as we got the win I was happy,” he said.
Glover’s performance on the mound overshadowed his two-hit, four-RBI day at the plate.
“He can swing the bat,” Wolfe said. “He’s being recruited as a pitcher only and he doesn’t hit when he plays in summer ball. But he likes being in the field and at the plate and being a complete player.”
Glover worked around a two-out walk in the top of the first and the Buford offense went to work against North Hall starter Reese Olson.
Brandon Marsh legged out a hustle double to right to open the bottom of the first and Austin Wilhite followed with a RBI single to center bringing in Marsh for a 1-0 lead. North Hall second baseman Clark Hill also was injured on a diving attempt to snare Wilhite’s hit and had to leave the game. Glover made it 3-0 on a two-run single to left but was gunned down trying to advance to second on the play.
Olson settled down after the opening barrage. The sophomore retired five straight into the third but ran into trouble after getting Austin Wilhite to fly out to center. Nick Wilhite walked and Griffin Jolliff singled with one-out in the bottom of the third. Glover followed with another two-run single for a 5-0 lead knocking out Olson, who was replaced by Drew Atha.
Atha kept the Trojans within striking distance retiring 11 of the 13 batters he faced.
Glover continued to mow through the North Hall offense. He struck out the side in the third for six strikeouts through the first 10 batters. He walked just two batters and to go with 10 strikeouts through the first five innings.
Glover’s only real trouble came in the seventh when Fowler Brooks reached on an error, moved to second on a wild pitch, and then to third when Jake Chester reached on another Buford error. But, Glover got his 12th strikeout of the game fanning Maddux Dill to end the game.
Wolfe said now they will turn their attention to Madison County, who sits just one-game back as they begin a home-and-home series on Monday in Danielsville.
“Madison is playing well and they have a Georgia-signee pitcher who can beat anyone so we’re going to have be on top of our game,” he said. “We have a little bit of a cushion now between us and North Hall and we just want to try and build on the momentum we have going right now.”
