Yard fires first perfect game

HHS lefty fans 17 batters

By: Rudy Brandl
   
   Anyone who missed Chrissy Yard’s perfect game Monday afternoon at Hillsborough High can watch it on Patriot Media Saturday night in prime time at 9 p.m.
   Yard, who might be Hillsborough’s version of the athlete who shines under the Monday Night Football spotlight, pitched a game worthy of television coverage at any time of day when she completely dominated Delaware Valley. The senior left-hander mowed down the Terriers, striking out 17 of the 21 batters she faced to complete her first career perfect game.
   "Everything was really working for me," Yard said after the Raiders improved to 7-2 with the 7-0 victory. "The defense was great behind me. (Catcher Christine) Rash called a great game and Michelle really saved me on that play."
   The play Yard is talking about came in the top of the sixth inning with one out. Michelle Farrell, a first-year starter in right field, charged an apparent base hit and fired to first baseman Nicole Derkacz to retire the Del Val batter and keep the perfect game intact.
   Yard was aware that she had something special going on the mound. She tried to keep her focus and wound up finishing the gem by striking out the side in the seventh.
   "It’s very shocking," said Yard, who struck out the side three times and fanned eight batters in a row during one stretch between the third and fifth innings. "Usually, I give up a hit or walk somebody. I was kind of nervous at the end. I just had to keep throwing hard."
   HHS head coach Cheryl Iaione, a former star catcher, was on the receiving end of some perfect games in her day. She really enjoyed watching it from the Raider bench for the first time.
   "Any time you throw a perfect game, it’s special," Iaione said. "It’s not easy to do no matter what level you’re at. It’s a great thing for Chrissy. She was dominant."
   Yard threw 98 pitches, 61 for strikes. She retired three batters on full counts, where she was just a pitch away from issuing a walk.
   It was also special that her younger sister Katie Yard broke through with her first three hits of the season. Katie Yard went 3-for-3 with two doubles and batted in a run to support her sister’s perfect game.
   Marissa Conard and Candy Palumbo each went 2-for-3 for the winners. Palumbo, who stole two bases in the game, scored the first run on a base hit by Megan McInaw in the bottom of the first. The Raiders finished with 11 hits.
   "Today, we played really strong," Chrissy Yard said. "It was a very good outbreak for us offensively."
   While the Raiders kept building their lead, Yard continued doing her dominant thing in the pitching circle. She was thrilled with the perfect game, but certainly not celebrating too much with big games vs. Montgomery and Bridgewater-Raritan on tap over the next three days.
   "It’s exciting, but tomorrow is a whole new game," Yard said. "I have to go back out on the field again."