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Around the Diamond: JB starts season with no-hitter


There’s no question that the James Buchanan baseball team has a lot of hype surrounding its potential heading into the 2017 season.

And Saturday the Rockets made it clear why.

Starting pitcher Remi Spoonhour made his regular season debut on the mound in an 8-2 non-league victory over Susquehanna Township, throwing five no-hit innings and striking out 12 batters.

But the fun didn't stop there.

Spoonhour was relieved by Jake Dorty, who did not allow a hit through the remaining two innings to cap off a combined no-hitter to kick off James Buchanan's season.

“It was amazing,” James Buchanan coach Dave Sanchez said. “We knew last year (Remi) had something, and he worked really hard in the offseason to improve. It was great to see him succeed, especially in the first game of the year after dedicating himself throughout fall and winter.

"Jake came in with a lead and he just went right to work. He had that one crazy inning, he started with a strikeout and a couple of errors and a run-down play gone wrong that let some runs in, but he kept his composure to retire the next four hitters in a row and he did a really good job."

JB’s Hunter Reath had a standout performance at the plate, going 3-for-3 with an RBI, and scored twice.

Sanchez said Spoonhour was resilient through five innings and pitched through a few tough pitch-count situations.

"We weren't expecting it at all. Remi was pitching well but he was throwing three balls to almost every batter," Sanchez said. "It was amazing how he was able to come back 3-1 and strike them out. It was a great performance, really gutsy, and we didn’t expect to have anything like that."

Dorty struck out two in his solid performance. Of his 34 pitches, 24 were thrown for strikes.

SOFTBALL

Chambersburg picks up right where it left off: Despite not being on the diamond for nine months, the Chambersburg softball team has picked up right where it left off.

And then some.

Through its first three games of the season Chambersburg has dominated its opponents, forcing three straight five-inning games due to the PIAA mercy rule, outscoring opponents 43-9 through the first three games of the season.

And while the massive offensive power at the plate is the main factor in two dominant games, the Trojan defense and pitching has been just as good.

"Our hitting is definitely there; we are being patient and taking what pitchers give us. But we have some tough pitchers coming up," Chambersburg coach Chris Skultety said. "Our one through nine hitters can really hit, and we have some people off the bench that can hit.

"But the key will be to throw strikes and to play defense like we are capable. Our hitting will come and go, but if we can pitch and play defense we will win a lot of games."