Gateway’s Frenchik tosses 2nd straight no-hitter to defeat Franklin Regional

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, April 23, 2018 | 10:57 PM

A no-hitter in your first start of the season? Impressive.

Back-to-back no-hitters in your first two starts of the season?

“That's a first.”

So said Gateway coach Bill Stoops of his pitcher Ethan Frenchik, who started and threw six innings of no-hit baseball in a 3-0 victory over Franklin Regional on Monday night in a Section 3-5A clash of local rivals.

“In all my years, I've never had a guy throw two no-hitters back-to-back,” Stoops said.

Frenchik threw a five-inning no-hitter in his last start against McKeesport.

He was lights out from the first pitch, striking out the side in the top of the first inning. The junior right-hander struck out nine Panthers in the contest.

His pitch count began to rise in the next couple of innings, but potential extended innings were shortened when his catcher, Caleb Lehman, caught Franklin Regional baserunners stealing to end the inning.

Frenchik was pulled after six innings because of the pitch count rule, much to the hurler's displeasure.

“He didn't want to come out, but I told him ‘I know, but you're at 100, you have to come out.' ”

Brian Reid closed the game in the seventh to pick up the save.

Reid struck out two in the final frame, but it was the middle out that proved to be the big one of the inning, and of the game.

Second baseman Brendan Majocha made a sliding play toward first base to retire Franklin Regional's Bryce Harper and preserve the no-hit bid.

Majocha made a similar play up the middle to end the fourth inning. He also did damage offensively, knocking in the first run of the game with a two-out single in the second.

Gateway picked up its other two runs in the third inning after Mike Vojnik scored on a passed ball and Justin Stankovich delivered an RBI triple. Both came with two outs.

Gateway baserunners stole seven bases in the game, as well. The Gators took advantage of the absence of starting catcher Bryce Harper, who started at first base. He is missing time behind the plate recovering from injury.

The Gators' victory splits the season series with Franklin Regional, which won 3-2 at home earlier in the season. Gateway (7-2, 8-2) now sits in second place in section play, two games behind Laurel Highlands.

Franklin Regional (5-2, 7-3) is a full game behind Gateway in the standings. The Panthers have their work cut out for them, as Monday night's game was the first of five scheduled section games in five days.

Alex Frey was the hard-luck losing pitcher, striking out 10 batters in six innings for Franklin Regional.

But the story of the night, as made clear by his teammates screaming in celebration on the field, was Frenchik's pitching performance.

Eleven straight innings of no-hit baseball, which just so happens to match the number on his Gators jersey.

But what has made Frenchik so good his last two outings?

“I have no idea, honestly” Frenchik said. “I just got really lucky, I guess.”

James Dotson is a TribLive High School Sports Network broadcaster.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Gateway