By SCOTT DAVIDSON

South Bend Tribune

 

Shelbie Jones pitching plan Tuesday was to keep it simple.

It worked like a charm for the Mishawaka ace.

Jones stuck with the hard stuff to make it look easy in firing a no-hitter in an 11-1 five-inning win over host Plymouth at Centennial Park.

The Cavemen junior relied on her fastball most of the contest to overpower the inexperienced and overmatched Pilgrim hitters.

Jones fanned nine and walked none in fashioning her third career no-hitter and fifth win this season. The right-hander allowed just an unearned run in the second on a pair of errors sandwiched around a sacrifice bunt.

Jones plan was also to pitch a no-no after a talk with coach Brian Miller at practice Monday. At the time, both thought she did not have a no-hitter yet and wanted to add her name to the MHS softball record book for a gem.

"I knew I was going to get a no-hitter today,'' said Jones matter-of-factly. "Today was my day to get it. I just kept it simple today and threw a majority of fastballs. There was no reason to get fancy. I'm in a good spot right now for this time of the season and about where I need to be.''

Jones notched a no-hitter versus Bremen her sophomore season. She also had one versus Washington as a freshman in 2008.

Miller, whose team improved to 6-1 with its fourth straight win, liked what he saw in the circle.

"I told Shelbie Monday there was no reason she shouldn't come down here and dominate and she did,'' Miller said. "She was on her pitches. She was ahead in the count and that was huge. She's making strides.''

Megan Yost was the hitting star for the Cavemen. The cleanup hitter smacked three hits, including an RBI triple to highlight a five-run first inning.

"We took advantage with runners in scoring position,'' said Yost, one of three Cavemen seniors. "I just tried to relax up there and do what I could to get us runs on the board.''

Leadoff hitter Bethany Stoltz had two hits and scored three runs and Shelby DelRegno had two hits, including an RBI double, for Mishawaka. The Cavemen were helped along by eight Plymouth errors, including four in the first frame. Mishawaka did commit a pair of errors of its own and two baserunning gaffes.

"We hit the ball well today,'' said Miller. "Megan is smacking the ball and Shelby has found her bat. It's a huge advantage that this was our seventh game and their first. That showed in the first inning. We're a good team, but the baserunning mistakes can't happen.''

The host Pilgrims, who started all underclassmen, were playing their first game.

"We just have to build on this,'' said Plymouth coach Ed Kelso, whose team has just one senior. "I saw some good things. We just have to make the routine plays. Three-fourths of these girls are up from the JV team last year. We might take some lumps because we are really young. If we improve each game, we'll be okay.''

Mishawaka hosts Memorial Monday. Plymouth entertains LaPorte Saturday at 11 a.m.

 

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