Miners pitchers combine to throw no-hitter

PALMER — A group of Mat-Su pitchers made team history Friday night.

Jacob Hughey, Jordan Frederick, Tyler Wyatt and Jordan Floyd combined to throw a no-hitter during an 8-4 win over the Anchorage Glacier Pilots at Hermon Brothers Field in Palmer.

The effort was the seventh no-hitter in team history, and first since former Florida State hurler Scott Sitz tossed a no-hitter in an 8-0 win over the AIA Fire July 18, 2010, during the ABL/MLB Scouts Showcase in Anchorage. Hughey, Frederick, Wyatt and Floyd also make up the largest number of Miners pitchers who have combined to throw a single no-hitter in program history. The previous high was three, when Blake Dietrich, James Allen and Andy Mee combined to throw a no-hitter, 16 days before the Sitz no-hitter, in a 3-0 win over the Peninsula Oilers July 2, 2010.

Mat-Su’s first two no-hitters in league history came in 1985 when Gil Heredia and Jim Long pitched no-hitters over the Oilers during consecutive weeks. In 1994, Scott DeWitt threw a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the Pilots in Anchorage.

In 2004, former Miners right-hander Chris Malone fanned 18 batters en route to his no-hitter during an 8-0 win over the Alaska Goldpanners.

Friday’s win also marked the most runs in team history allowed by the Miners during a no-hitter thrown by Mat-Su. Anchorage drew 10 walks, and was able to plate four runs.

“It was a clunker, but the imperfections of this game make it beautiful,” Miners head coach Ben Taylor said in a press release issued by the team. “I’ve coached in a lot of games for this team, but I don’t know if I’ve ever been more proud of a ball team than tonight.”

Hughey made the start and allowed eight walks and four runs over five hitless innings.

“I didn’t really think about the no-hitter much because they scored four runs,” Hughey said in the release. “When they score like that, you don’t really think about the hits. But it’s an incredible feeling to be a part of this.”

Hughey also fanned four.

Frederick earned the win in relief, fanning two and walking two over two innings. Wyatt and Floyd pitched a perfect inning each.

Mat-Su held the early lead, but Anchorage tied the score at 4 with its three-run fifth.

Outfielder Scooter Bynum helped the Miners grab the advantage right back in the bottom of the sixth. The Fairbanks product and former Monroe Catholic standout tripled into deep center field to drive in both Andy Cosgrove and Cam Montgomery. Bynum scored later in the inning to give the Miners the 7-4 lead.

Bynum led the Miners with two hits and three RBI.

With the win, Mat-Su improved to 23-16.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.