Patrick Schuster’s bid to throw a fifth consecutive no-hitter came to a halt Tuesday with a familiar nemesis playing the role of spoiler.
Gaither’s Drew Doty lined a no-out double over the right fielder’s head in the top of the third inning to end Schuster’s no-hit bid in a district playoff game. The senior pitcher from Mitchell High School in New Port Richey, Fla., had thrown four straight no-hitters heading into Tuesday’s matchup to set the state record.
Patrick Shuster
Provided by Shuster family
Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time that Doty has broken up a Schuster no-hit bid. On March 19, Mitchell defeated Gaither 13-2 and Schuster pitched six innings of one-hit ball before giving way to reliever Matt Hart in the seventh. The only hit in the game – a double by Doty. The Gaither junior is one of the top hitters in the Tampa area, batting .451 with 28 RBI, five doubles, six triples and nine home runs.
Gaither went on to win Tuesday's matchup 9-4. Schuster took the loss, his first of the season, after leaving in the fifth inning with Gaither leading 5-4. Schuster gave up just two hits but was victimized by a number of walks that led to Gaither runs.
Schuster first gained national attention when he threw his third straight no-hitter in a 2-0 win over Clearwater Central Catholic on April 13. In that game, Schuster went seven innings, struck out 16, walked none and hit one in collecting his seventh win of the season.
Schuster tied the Florida state record in a 5-0 win over Pasco on April 20. Schuster struck out 17 in the win, walked one and hit one batter to put his record at 8-0 with a 0.64 ERA.
For the season, Schuster has struck out 110 batters and walked just 24 with three shutouts. His other two no-hitters included a 10-0 win over River Ridge and a 2-1 victory over Land O’Lakes.
Schuster also has a combined no-hitter with Hart in a 7-0 win over Central on Feb. 17. Schuster pitched the first six-innings and struck out 13 while Hart pitched the seventh and struck out three.
In 55 innings pitched this season, Schuster had given up just nine hits.
The national record for consecutive no-hitters is six, set by Chris Taranto of Biloxi Notre Dame (Miss.) in 1961 and tied by Tom Engle of Lancaster Fairfield Union (Ohio) in 1989.
Three others have pitched five consecutive no-hitters. They include Gary Rowe of Wagoner (Okla.) in 1977, Tom Murray of Uncasville St. Bernard (Conn.) in 1968-69 and Colt Molloy of Memphis (Texas) in 2007.
Check back for video of the Mitchell-Gaither district playoff game.
