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GREENWICH, Conn. It turns out Greenwich pitcher Brian Schutzman was just getting warmed up during the high school season. The right-hander needed just 70 pitches Thursday to throw his first-ever no-hitter in his second start of the season for the Greenwich Legion.
Just a few weeks after leading the Brunswick School to the Fairchester Athletic Association championship, the recent graduate dominated Norwalk hitters. He allowed only one walk and hit one batter while striking out seven in a 1-0 win for Greenwich Legion Post 29.
Like Major League pitcher Matt Cain on Wednesday, Schutzman needed the help of a stellar diving catch in the final inning to keep the no-hitter alive. Norwalks Spencer Jacoby ripped a high fly ball into the right-center field gap, but Brendan Hardin was playing deep and dove back and to his left to make a sensational grab.
Schutzman struck out the final two batters to complete his no-hitter.
The first three or four innings I had no idea I was pitching a no-hitter. Everything was moving so quickly, Schutzman said. Then towards the sixth I started to realize what was going on. Im pretty excited and its going to give me a lot of confidence going into the summer.
The Greenwich hurler rolled through the defending state champions, retiring the first 11 batters. His lone walk of the afternoon came on a borderline pitch on a full count in the fourth that had him smacking his glove in frustration. The non-call did not faze him, though, as he retired 10 of the next 11 batters to complete the no-hitter.
Fastball, curveball everything was working, he said. I feel like coming in from the high school season with metal to here with wood bats, its such a truer game. You hit your spots, youre going to get outs.
Greenwichs lone run of the afternoon came on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Taylor Olmstead in the fifth, scoring Dylan Callahan. The Cannons had nearly as much trouble with Norwalk starter Lukas LaBry as Norwalk did with Schutzman. The Norwalk High rising senior also struck out seven in 5 1/3 solid innings that would have been good enough for a win on just about any other day.
Schutzman threw a pair of one-hitters and a two-hitter during the high school season for Brunswick.
Greenwich Legion Post 29 improves to 5-1 on the young season. The Cannons head to Fairfield on Saturday for an 8:30 a.m. game.
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