Vincent Pyeatt carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and pitched the Tigers’ first complete-game shutout of the year, leading Republic to a 6-0 win over Rogersville at home Tuesday. Pyeatt threw just 87 pitches in the victory.
Republic scored three runs in the first inning, added another run in the second, and picked up two insurance runs in the sixth. Brady Usgaard led Republic at the plate with a 3-for-4 day, including a double. Kyle Hill drove in two runs, and Ryker Harrington, Jared Hughes, and Usgaard each had an RBI. For Hughes, the RBI was his 32nd of the year. He needs three more to tie the school record of 35, set by Thomas McPhail in 1999.
Pyeatt said he was aware of his no-hitter, even though his teammates avoided bringing up the topic.
“I think we all knew, but you really just don’t talk about it at all,” he said.
Pyeatt also credited catcher Kyle Hill with his work behind the plate. Hill calls the pitches – a responsibility not given to many high school catchers, as coaches have taken over that duty in many programs.
“I just see that he’s in a rhythm and I try my best not to change it,” Hill said of his relationship with Pyeatt. “I know what pitches are working and I try my best to call those.”
Rogersville didn’t get its first base hit until there was one out in the sixth inning. The Wildcats collected back-to-back base hits, but Pyeatt worked around the trouble without allowing a run.
Pyeatt struck out four batters, hit four batters, and walked none.
The win snaps a three-game skid for the Tigers, who hadn’t won since clinching the COC championship against Nixa last week. Republic lost to Sedalia Smith-Cotton 9-6 and to Glendale 4-1 on Saturday, after losing to Webb City Thursday.
Republic is 17-9. (Note: A previous version of this story erroneously reported Republic’s record as 18-9.) They’ll travel to Marshfield Thursday for their final regular-season game.
