Thobe no-hits Cardinals

COLDWATER - The Coldwater defense had a relatively uneventful six innings in the field as pitcher Derek Thobe was untouchable on the mound.

When the Cavaliers' defense finally did see some action in the final inning with Thobe's no-hitter on the line, they were ready.

Three clutch plays by the Coldwater infield secured Thobe's first career no-hitter and a 10-1 victory over the New Bremen Cardinals in Midwest Athletic Conference play Friday at Veterans Field.

Thobe became the first Coldwater pitcher to toss a no-hitter since Sam Slavik did it against Patrick Henry in the Division III district semifinal at Elida on May 17, 2007.

The Cavaliers, the top-ranked team in the Division III coaches' poll this week, improve to 11-1 and 3-0 in the conference. New Bremen goes to 2-7 and 0-2 with the loss.

In the bottom of the seventh, second baseman Drew Otten chased down a ball that was headed up the middle and fired it to first baseman Mitch Heyne for the first out. Ty Overman's dribbler down the third baseline almost went for a hit, but third baseman Matt Kramer scooped it up and got him by a step. Then Adam Klosterman came up with perhaps the biggest play of all, diving to stop Greg Parker's hard hit grounder up the middle, jumping to his feet and getting the out at first.

"Three greatest plays all year," said Thobe, who finished the game with 13 strikeouts and one walk.  

"That shows a great team no-hitter," Coldwater coach Brian Harlamert said." Obviously, Derek was dominant the entire game with the strikeouts and throwing the ball by guys, but the defense that last inning saved that no-hitter."

The Cavaliers finished the game with seven hits and scored runs in every inning except the seventh. The Cardinals, though, assisted them on the scoreboard with five errors.

"We've never had a game where the (errors) kind of snowballed, and they did that tonight," New Bremen coach Josh Bowersock. "Like I told the kids, we've just got to flush this game tonight and move onto the next one.

"It's baseball. We've got another game (today). That's the best part about it."
  For Coldwater, Brody Hoying had two hits, including an RBI double in the first, scored three runs and swiped three bases. Matt Kramer finished 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run, Kyle McKibben contributed an RBI single, Klosterman added a hit and a pair of runs and catcher Aaron Harlamert had a triple in the fourth that led to a run.

Nolan Fox scored New Bremen's run in the first inning, when a sure-fire double play for Coldwater turned into a run-costing error.

Senior Travis Bertelsen suffered the loss on the hill for the Cardinals. He pitched four innings, giving up four earned runs.

The Cardinals will face Triad today at 10 a.m.  

The Cavaliers, the top-ranked Division III team in the most recent state poll, will return to the diamond today for a twin bill against Piqua at Hardman Field.