07/30/2007

Tisone is tough on Traverse

Beach Bums held to one hit

FROM STAFF REPORTS

MARION, Ill. — Aaron Garza and a broken-bat blooper was all that stood between Nick Tisone and history on Sunday.

Tisone tossed a one-hitter — missing out on his perfect game bid with two outs in the eighth inning — as Southern Illinois completed a three-game sweep of Traverse City with a 2-0 triumph.

The no-hit bid by Tisone, who faced one batter over the minimum 27, was the longest this season by a Frontier League pitcher. The last Frontier League no-hitter came on Aug. 5, 2004 and there have been 11 in the history of the league.

Garza's broken-bat single to left field was the only blemish for Tisone, who struck out just one batter and didn't walk any.

While Tisone (6-2) was shutting down the Beach Bums (25-37), so did Ryan Gehring after the first inning.

Southern Illinois (32-30) banged out three hits and scored both of its runs in the bottom of the opening inning.

Ralph Santana was hit by a pitch to start the inning. He stole second and scored on a single up the middle by Eric Suttle, who later scored on a sacrifice fly by Willie Keene.

The Miners finished the contest with seven hits off Gehring (4-7), who also went the distance in a game that lasted under two hours.

Traverse City returns from its six-game road trip today to face the Evansville Otters at Wuerfel Park. David Nathanson (2-1, 4.22 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Beach Bums.