By Murray Gleffe
Correspondent
ASHWAUBENON—It was all about Jack Mahoney (Milwaukee) on this night.
Mahoney pitched a no hitter for the Green Bay Booyah as they cruised to a 5-0 victory over the Rockford Rivets in a game played July 5 at Capital Credit Union Park.
The Appleton West High School graduate, Mahoney, pitched nine innings, giving up no runs and no hits and striking out nine.
He threw 104 pitches on the night.
Cooper Cain took the loss for the Rivets (21-17) going 5 2/3 innings giving up two runs on only four hits.
The Booyah (17-22) once again showed their balance on this night.
In the bottom of the second, Chris Williams was hit by a pitch and advanced to first.
Jacob Buchberger walked to put two base runners on for the Booyah.
Rockford’s Mason Minzey and Cain weren’t on the same page as a passed ball brought Williams to third. Brady West then ripped a single to bring Williams home and put Green Bay up 1-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Green Bay struck for another run.
With two outs, Buchberger ripped a single to left field.
West then was at it again. He hit a screaming double to score Buchberger and give the Booyah a 2-0 lead.
The damage could have been far worse had Green Bay not stranded 10 base runners for the game
Meanwhile, Mahoney kept delivering fast balls, sinkers, and sliders that Rockford had no answer for.
After the Green Bay fans got up to stretch, the Booyah put the game away in the bottom of the seventh with a big inning.
Blaise Maris led off with a walk, and Nick Kreutzer nailed a single to center.
Joe Mason then loaded the bases with a single of his own to right field.
Williams and Buchberger connected on a single and double in back-to-back at bats to bring home three runs and give the Booyah a 5-0 lead.
Down the stretch it wasn’t about if the Booyah were going to win, rather would Mahoney carve out a no hitter.
In the top of the ninth, Mahoney had gone over 95 pitches, but the decision to leave him in the game was a ‘no brainer.
After Aaron Mann, Jake VanderWal and Andrew Wilhite went one-two-three to end the game, Mahoney let out a sigh of relief knowing he had accomplished something special!
Box Score:
Rockford: 000 000 000–0 0 2
Green Bay: 010 100 30x—5 8 0