By Dick Sparrer
When Michael Crosby gave up a walk in the first inning, it seemed harmless enough.
The Saratoga Yankees had already scored three runs in the top half of the inning, so what harm could a single base on balls do?
Plenty for a pitcher trying to be perfect. And Crosby almost was. As it turns out, the first-inning walk was all Crosby would allow in the Saratoga Pony League game. The 14-year-old hurler tossed a no-hitter to lead his club to a 5-0 win over the North County Angels.
Crosby didn't exactly struggle in the first, but he did give up a walk and it took a diving catch by center fielder Scotty Snider to keep a pop fly from falling in for a hit. From then on, though, Crosby was in command.
He had no strikeouts in the first, but he fanned 10 of the next 18 batters he faced to nail down the no-hitter and the win. Eight routine ground balls to shortstop Jim Huether, second sacker Michael Mann and first basemen Joe Gentzkow and Max Sandigo were all Crosby allowed in his gem.
Crosby struck out the first two batters he faced in the seventh and nailed down the no-hitter when the final hitter bounced to Sandigo for an unassisted out at first.
Justin Oliver handled the catching chores for the Yankees in the no-hitter.
Crosby helped his own cause at the plate in the win with a double and two singles. Bryce Allen and Huether each singled and doubled in the win.
A two-run single by Allen keyed a three-run rally in the first for the Yanks, and that would be all Crosby would need for the win. But the Yanks scored again in the third, and Crosby doubled home Huether with an insurance run in the seventh.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, May 1, 1996.
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