Accumulating over 100 consecutive innings without an earned run is a rare accomplishment in high school baseball. Only three pitchers have eclipsed the mark. But a fourth pitcher,
Ethan Lay of
Colusa, could join the list when his team competes in the Northern California Regional Championships next week.
David Clyde of Westchester (Houston) tops the list. As a high school phenom in the early 1970s, Clyde had 115.2 innings without an earned run as a junior in 1972 and then threatened that mark with 95.1 consecutive innings in 1973 just prior to being taken by the Texas Rangers as the No. 1 overall player in the MLB Draft.
The National Federation of High Schools record book credits Clyde with the top two entries on the list for consecutive innings without allowing an earned run, but MaxPreps was able to find a couple more. Floyd Bannister of
Kennedy Catholic (Burien, Wash.), the No. 1 overall pick of the 1976 MLB Draft, went 15-0 with 14 shutouts in 1973 and had 112 innings without an earned run.
Tyler Danish of
Durant (Plant City, Fla.), threatened the record in 2013. After finishing his junior season with 12 innings without an earned run, he had 94 consecutive innings as a senior to give him 106 in a row.
Lay stands at No. 6 all-time. He finished his junior year with 12.1 innings without an earned run and he's added 79.2 this year for a total of 92 innings without an earned run. Lay leads the nation with 14 wins and a 0.00 ERA. He also is No. 8 in strikeouts with 142.
Thanks in part to Lay's contributions, Colusa is 31-0 this year and 64-1 over the past three seasons, including 27-1 last year. The RedHawks have also won 39 games in a row heading into the NorCal Regional tournament. Matchups for the regionals have yet to be determined.
One possible opponent, depending on seeding, could be Turlock Christian. The Eagles won the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 7 behind the pitching of Gavin Farinha, who has six no-hitters this year. Farinha also makes the list for consecutive innings without an earned run with 66.
Lay's father Eric is the coach of the RedHawks and long streaks of consecutive innings without allowing an earned run are nothing new for the coach who has posted a record of 494-102-2 in 22 seasons. He spent the first 12 seasons at Maxwell where he led the Panthers to a 30-0 season in 2011. During that year, Lay had two pitchers with ERAs of 0.00: Tyler Wells and Steven Perry.
Wells makes the list below with 62 consecutive innings without an earned run. Perry just missed the list with 55 consecutive innings. Lay is the only coach to have two players make the list.
Sources for the list include the NFHS record book, state association websites, the Cal-Hi Sports Record Book by Mark and Nelson Tennis, the MaxPreps leaderboards and research via newspapers.com.
Ethan Lay, Colusa
Photo by Ralph Thompson
115.2 — David Clyde, Westchester (Houston), 1972
112 — Floyd Bannister,
Kennedy Catholic (Burien, Wash.), 1973
106 — Tyler Danish,
Durant (Plant City, Fla.), 2012-13
95.1 — David Clyde, Westchester (Houston), 1973
93 — Josh Cribb,
Lake View (S.C.), 2001
92 —
Ethan Lay,
Colusa (Calif.), 2021-22
91 — Ron Williamson, Hallsboro (NC), 1970
89 — Rick Warren,
North Hollywood (Calif.), 1957
85 — Bill Anderson,
Queensbury (N.Y.), 1988
85 — Jason Barber,
Oxford (Miss.), 2015-16
81 — Jim Wiskotoni,
Elkhart Central (Elkhart, Ind.), 1975
80 — Joey Porter, Adams (South Natchez, Miss.), 1973
79.1 — Randy Benson,
East Rowan (Salisbury, N.C.), 1968
78 — Drew Tanner,
Coffee (Douglas, Ga.), 1982
72.2 — TJ Baker,
Clinton (Mich.), 2014
72.1 — Mike Halperin,
Barron Collier (Naples, Fla.), 1991
72.1 — Brendan McKay,
Blackhawk (Beaver Falls, Pa.), 2013-14
71.2 — Mike Thissen,
Columbus (Waterloo, Iowa), 1972
71.2 — Derek Moore,
Wheelersburg (Ohio), 2012
71.2 — Wes Grout,
Mount Tabor (Winston-Salem, N.C.), 1971
70 — Jeff Roberts,
Lake Havasu (Lake Havasu City, Ariz.), 1981
67.2 — Bob Blevins, Jr.,
Briarcliff (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.), 2002
66 —
Gavin Farinha,
Turlock Christian (Turlock, Calif.), 2022
64.1 — Taylor Tankersly,
Warren Central (Vicksburg, Miss.), 2001
64 — Scott McGregor,
El Segundo (Calif.), 1972
63 — Taber Maier,
Cupertino (Calif.), 1993
63 — Dan Wannemacher,
St. John's (Delphos, Ohio), 1980
62 — Wayne Qualls,
Exeter (Calif.), 1967
62 — Tyler Wells,
Maxwell (Calif.), 2010-11
61 — Tyler Fairchild,
Oak Hill (Converse, Ind.), 2016
60 — Mike Reed,
Quincy (Calif.), 1987
60 — Dan Brauer,
Wheaton-Warrenville South (Wheaton, Ill.), 2001
59 — Jerry Jordan,
Avenal (Calif.), 1970
