WALES — Oak Hill pitcher Gavin Rawstron didn’t flinch as he scooped up two hard-hit grounders and made the put-outs at first base.

Rawstron only grew stronger with each inning and helped deliver a 3-0 no-hitter against Lisbon (2-1) in a Mountain Valley Conference baseball game on Saturday.

“It was the first game that like the coach let me pitch more than just a few innings because it is our first game and I got to start,” Rawstron said. “I know it is like a friendly rivalry with them. We have a lot of friends on the team. We’ve got a lot of respect for those kids. 

“I know they were saying they were going to ruin our season this year … I just can’t let that happen this year.”

Rawstron immediately pointed to his defense as being the key to Oak Hill’s (1-1) win. 

“Only one walk today,” he said. “Usually, I am trying to strike kids out, but today was more throwing to contact and letting the defense do that. I trust the guys behind me. It came out well for me.”

The senior went all seven innings, making five put-outs — three in a row in the sixth inning — striking out eight batters and retiring the side in order in five of the game’s seven innings.

“I think Gavin is the best pitcher in the league, and today he showed it,” Oak Hill coach Chad Stowell said. “Gavin is a tremendous athlete and he has been our quarterback for four years for the football team. He works extremely hard in the weight room. Played baseball pretty much year-round. He is built to pitch a seven-inning game like that.”

The Raiders’ offense wasted no time getting something going in the second inning.

With one out, third baseman Sam Lindsay singled, stole second base and moved to third on second baseman Trent Drouin’s single. Grayson Latourneau hit a grounder to second base and was thrown out at first, but his infield shot was enough to push Lindsay across for Oak Hill’s first run.

The Raiders’ second run came when Lisbon starting pitcher Mason Booker walked the next three batters, the last to Isaac Morissette, which brought Drouin home.

Oak Hill’s offense conjured up another run in the fourth inning with some heads-up base running. Drouin got on with his second of three singles for the day. He circled the diamond on a stolen base and a passed ball to end up at third. Caden Thompson walked, and when he successfully attempted to steal second base, Drouin went for it and stole home for Oak Hill’s third run.

The Greyhounds couldn’t find away to get around Rawstron or Oak Hill’s defense, which were responsible for making the Raiders’ 3-0 lead stand for the next three innings.

Booker took the loss on the mound after he was relieved by Nick Ferrence in the fifth inning.

“Well, Rawstron is a damn good pitcher,” Lisbon coach Randy Ridley said. “He threw the ball very well. He just did the job. We have to move on to our next game. It is all we can do. They are a great team and Rawstron was on fire.”

Ridley was proud of the way his Greyhounds persevered despite being frustrated by the Oak Hill pitcher.

“We didn’t give up,” he said. “I am very proud of how this team held together. That’s the thing we have to understand. We have to learn no matter what adversity comes our way, we’ve got to stand together and push forward to the next level.”

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