Zach Hare speaks after throwing no-hitter in PIAA quarterfinals
Hear from Riverside pitcher Zach Hare following his no-hitter to extend his no-hit streak in the postseason to 31.1 innings defeating Mohawk.
Riverside’s Zach Hare pitched a no-hitter against Mohawk in the PIAA Class 3A baseball quarterfinals.This extends Hare’s postseason no-hit streak to 31.1 innings.Hare struck out 13 batters and walked three in the quarterfinal victory.
HARMONY — After having an “off day” for the first time in several weeks in the first round of the PIAA playoffs, Riverside standout pitcher Zach Hare looked to continue his historic postseason against Mohawk in the Class 3A baseball quarterfinals on June 5.
Hare used an extra day of rest to his advantage, extending his no-hit streak to 31⅓ innings, throwing a no-hitter Thursday to defeat Mohawk, 6-0.
“I have been wanting to live in the moment and take things one game at a time because I get to keep playing with guys I have played with since I was 10,” Hare said. “I am still at a loss with this streak because I just want to go out there and throw my best and not add pressure to myself.”
Coming off of his perfect game in the WPIAL championship against Quaker Valley on May 28 ― when Hare struck out 15 batters ― he struck out 13 batters while walking three against Mohawk.
In the postseason, Hare has allowed no runs and eight walks while striking out 55 batters.
“He is different from any other pitcher that I have coached before,” Riverside coach Dan Oliastro said. “Zach’s command is unbelievable and is putting the ball exactly where we want it, fields his position and our biggest concern today was our fielders getting tired waiting for a ball to come to them.”
In addition Hare’s masterpiece on the mound, the Riverside bats did their job, finishing with 11 hits by chipping away at Mohawk pitcher Briar Crawford.
With a 1-0 lead entering the fourth inning, Riverside (19-2) got some much-needed insurance. Jackson Barber scored on a wild pitch before Sean Hayes and John Bowser drove home runs with an RBI single and double.
Shortstop Dylan Meyer drove in two more in the two of the seventh with a single, scoring Hare and first baseman Christian Lucarelli.
“We have been very aggressive at the plate recently,” Meyer said. “I think some of the guys earlier in the season weren’t as aggressive but now we are attacking pitches. I want to keep my approach simple and look for something early and build off of that.”
Riverside will have a rematch with South Park in the PIAA Class 3A semifinals, on Monday, June 9, at a site and time to be determined. The Panthers won their previous matchup, 1-0 in 12 innings, in the WPIAL tournament semifinals.