Nick Snyder’s Dominate One-hitter Carries WVU past Marshall.

West Virginia starting pitcher Nick Snyder dominated the Marshall Thundering Herd (23-21) Tuesday night inside Monongalia County Ballpark. The 6’7” junior retired 16 Herd hitters on the night and was a strike or a half a step away from completing a no hitter as the Mountaineers take a 2-0 decision.

The game was scoreless through two, until Brandon White smacked a line drive into the gap in left-centerfield and Darius Hill followed it up with a hard-line drive back up the middle with two outs to bring around Hill for the games first run.

The West Virginia Mountaineers (26-15) tacked on another run in the fifth when Marshall starting pitcher Ryan Capuano gave up a two-out double to Darius Hill, walked Marcus Inman, and Ivan Gonzalez hit a deep fly ball down the left-field line that dropped in front of left fielder Tucker Kinder to give WVU a 2-0 lead.

The story of the night was the big lefty Nick Snyder. Despite never pitching more than six innings at the collegiate level, Snyder continued to get stronger as the game went on.

“He felt what was happening, you could kind of tell that.” Stated West Virginia head coach Randy Mazey after the game. “When he got to about the seventh inning, I think he realized what was going on and just took it upon himself to just come out with his best stuff. That’s ridiculous stuff out there. He’s throwing 92-93 miles per hour. He’s 6-7. The hitters can’t see it. They feel like he’s letting it go right on top of home plate.”

There’s an unwritten rule in baseball that you don’t talk about a no-hitter but it’s on everybody’s mind when you see the zero on the scoreboard and Mazey had to let his son Weston know what to do in the situation.

“I think the same thing that was going through Snyder’s mind as everybody’s mind on defense, in the dugout, everybody in the stands, all you guys.” Said Mazey. “It’s one of those things that you don’t ever talk about it. I had to remind Wammer (Weston) in about the seventh inning, ‘Hey dude, I know you haven’t been here in a lot of these situations, but don’t say anything to anybody.’ What a great performance but what a shame at the same time.

Snyder saved a hit in the seventh after Zach Inskeep bounced a pitch off the plate as it slowly rolled down the first base line and Nick grabbed the ball with his bare hand as he turned and was falling to the ground, was able to make a perfect throw over to first.

Nick made quick of the Herd in the eighth and then coming out to the mound in the ninth, the Mountaineer faithful were on their feet hoping to witness the first no-hitter since April 3, 2007 (Josh Whitlock/Coppin State).

Snyder struck out pinch hitter Jaren Lovely, got Geordon Blanton to fly out to centerfield, then on the 0-2 pitch, Erik Rodriguez hit a hard line-drive up the middle and second basemen Tyler Doanes fielded it but his momentum to get to the ball took some zip off the ball over to first as Rodriguez beat the throw. Snyder ended the game five pitches later, jamming Inskeep on a 3-1 pitch to flyout to rightfield.

“To be honest with you, I was a little worried.” Said Mazey. “You see it all the time. A guy loses a no-hitter and then all of a sudden, the next guy hits a homerun and the scores tied. I thought about taking him out after the no hitter, but he was still so dominate. Its hard to pitch to that next guy after what just happened. Credit to him, that was the hardest out of the game, that last one.”

The complete game one hit performance was the first since Zac Cline did it in 2003 against Virginia Tech.

The Mountaineers are back in action this Friday night at Monongalia County Ballpark with the first pitch set at 6:30 pm est.