Waters doesn’t allow hit in North baseball win over PHS
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Christian Waters struggled to locate his pitches.
So did the batters from opposing Princeton High School.
The Little Tigers baseball team became Waters’ second no-hitter victim of the season as the West Windsor-Plainsboro North senior struck out 11 without allowing a hit in an 11-0 win Wednesday.
”I didn’t really think about it at all until the last inning when I went out to pitch the fifth,” said Waters, of the game that was shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule. “I just knew I had to get three outs and end it like that.”
The inning before, Knights head coach Mike Santoro had threatened to end Waters’ day early because his pitch count was climbing.
”That’s when I started to be more efficient,” Waters said. “The last inning, I was real efficient. The fourth and fifth were my best.”
The first three, it didn’t look like Waters was lining up another no-hitter, the second of his career. His first came 11 days earlier in a 3-0 win over Robbinsville when he struck out seven and walked five in seven innings.
”The first one, I was pretty happy,” said Waters, who can’t remember ever throwing a no-hitter before this season, not even in Little League. “It was unexpected to go all seven innings. Today, I was kind of frustrated and still walked away with a no-hitter.”
Waters wasn’t putting the ball exactly where he wanted to Wednesday, but the PHS hitters couldn’t figure it out either. He had done the same thing to Robbinsville.
”Two is tough,” Santoro said. “The only other pitcher to throw a no-hitter for North was David Bachner. To be in his company and surpass throwing one no-hitter is pretty impressive. He’s a kid that doesn’t let things bother him. That’s something better this year. Our defense is better. Last year, when he was throwing his best and had his best stuff, we didn’t necessarily make the plays we needed to make. This year, we’re making the plays and if there is an error, he’s going to shake it off.”
The Knights were error free. They only had four chances of course, and it made for a snoozer of a game in the field for the Knights fielders.
”He didn’t really have his location in the first innings,” Santoro said. “He finished the game with five walks, but the coolest part of it, of the 15 outs, he had 11 strikeouts. He had four walks in the first couple innings. The first six outs were strikeouts. It was a very awkward game.
”He couldn’t locate his pitches. But somehow it turned into a no-hitter. He’s someone that battles. He didn’t have his stuff, but was able to settle in in the fourth and fifth. He was up in his pitch count.”
Waters got the final out on a liner to shortstop Andy Schoenblum. It was the hardest hit ball of the day.
”It was feast or famine today,” Santoro said. “He was going to walk a guy or strike out a guy. As much as he couldn’t find his zone in the first couple innings, he settled down. He did what you would of anyone who’s struggling at the beginning of the game. I would say this performance is more impressive than the first one just because he didn’t have his best stuff.”
The genius of his performance is perhaps in some of the wildness of it as well. In each of his no-hitters, he walked five. He may not have put his pitches just where he wanted. They had a mind of their own, but they weren’t hittable.
”I had good movement on my fastball today,” Waters said. “My off-speed was kind of off, but when I needed it, it came through.”
Waters has been coming through all year for the Knights. He is 3-2 with 17 hits allowed in 27 innings and an astounding 32 strikeouts.
”We do have a regular rotation, but he pretty much pitches whenever he can,” Santoro said. “I’d be dumb not to. When he’s had the rest that he’s needed, even if there was a rainout, he would pitch back-to-back games. He’s the workhorse. He’s our man. When he pitches, we play really well. we play for him. I think he brings up the confidence of the team. He really does. He puts the team on his shoulders and says, I’m going to limit the amount of runs I give up, and to the hitters, which he is one of them, he’s like, get me some runs and I’ll take care of it. I’ll do the rest.
”He’s 3-2. He’s pitched good enough to be 5-0. In the two losses he’s had, we didn’t play defense for him and didn’t score enough runs for him.”
Waters has enjoyed his role as the top pitcher in his final scholastic season. He’s developed into a dependable staff ace.
”For the most part, I’ve been keeping my team in the games,” Waters said. “There’s always room for improvement. I feel like I got my mechanics more proper and I feel more confident this year.”
Waters was feeling confident even as he fell behind in a lot of counts in Wednesday’s game. He kept coming back to record strikeouts and mixed in a little action for his fielders. He improved as the game progressed.
”Usually when you’re in your groove, and striking people out, you’re going 0-2, 1-2 and throwing your out pitch,” Santoro said. “I don’t know how much he threw his out pitch. He was just trying to locate his fast ball.
”The first couple innings, he was high. He settled down. That’s what really good pitchers are able to do. In my eyes, he’s one of the best in the county. He doesn’t let things bother him.”
Waters had all the run support he needed in the second inning when the Knights scored their first run. They added four runs in the third inning and six more in the fourth inning.
”We had some big hits and some rallies that helped us get the quick lead. It’s always easier to pitch with the lead.”
Sid Kumar homered and drove in three runs, Brandon Kocher had two triples and Matt Duplak, Adam Gostomski, Mike Mazzeo, Jack O’Connell and Schoenblum had a hit apiece. O’Connell and Austin McGinley scored twice. His teammates kept their proper distance from Waters and didn’t speak to him per the unwritten rules of baseball.
”The first one, some people realized, but some of my other teammates didn’t even know,” Waters said. “More people knew today than the first no-hitter. It wasn’t mentioned.”
Waters is looking forward to getting back out on the mound. A little rest and he should be ready to go again as he takes aim at the possibility of a third no-hitter in one season.
”I don’t know about that,” Waters said. “I’m just going to keep doing the best I can every time I play.”