Cougars Sweep Siena Heights as Roberts Makes History with No-Hitter

(Howell, MI) -- The Cleary Cougars Baseball team wrapped up the weekend by welcoming the Siena Heights Saints to Lake Trust Stadium. Will Roberts would lead the way on the mound for the Cougars in Game 1 with the second no-hitter in Cleary Baseball history, while the bats picked up a win in Game 2. 

In Game 1: Siena Heights kicked things off with a leadoff walk to start the ballgame, but the baserunner wouldn't last long. The second batter of the game would fly out to Braylon Hughes in center field, who would make a spectacular throw to first base to double up the runner who got too far off the base. With two outs in the bottom half of the second inning, Braylon Hughes tripled to left center, scoring Peyton Mullins and giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead. The Cougars increased the lead to 2-0 in the third when Brodie Mackay singled to score Gavin Kempainen. The Cougars added insurance runs in the fifth, taking a 4-0 lead. Brendan Seman led the inning off with a triple and would score on the next play when Hector Montilla singled through the right side. Hector Montilla scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly from Ryan Rose. Will Roberts led the way for the Cougars on the mound and took his no hitter to the seventh. He shut the door on the Saints, striking out the last two hitters of the ballgame for a no-hit performance and a 4-0 Cougar win. 

Will Roberts (4-1) got the start and threw a no-hitter, facing the minimum 21 batters possible, on just 75 pitches. His final stat line was 7.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, and 8 SO. The no-hitter is the second no-hitter in Cleary Baseball history, with the first coming from Travis Klocek on February 22, 2022, vs #22 Point Park in Marion, North Carolina. 

In Game 2: The Cougars got the scoring started in the third inning with a rally scoring four runs to take a 4-0 lead. Conner Boone got things started with a double to left center that scored Gavin Kempainen. Hector Montilla followed that up with a double of his own, bringing Conner Boone home. Brodie Mackay then singled to score Hector Montilla. Brodie Mackay scored on an error later in the inning. Cougar pitcher Nate Raniszewski kept the Saints quiet, keeping them off the board through the first six innings of the ballgame. The Cougars' offense then added five more insurance runs in the sixth to make it a 9-0 ballgame. Brendan Seman singled to center field, scoring Austin Vincent. Hector Montilla would then blast a moonshot three-run home run to left field. Brodie Mackay wanted in on the action and homered to center field, his sixth home run of the season. Siena Heights made things interesting, scoring three runs in the seventh and ninth innings, but that would not be enough as the Cougars took home a 9-6 win. 

Nate Raniszewski (2-3) got the start and picked up the win on the mound with a final stat line of 6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R (1 ER), 2 BB, and 6 SO. Hector Montilla would finish 3-4 with 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored. 

The Cougars improve to 16-14 overall on the season and 6-4 in WHAC Conference play. The Cougars will be back in action on Wednesday, April 2, as they welcome the Lourdes University Gray Wolves to Lake Trust Stadium for a WHAC Conference matchup. First pitch of the doubleheader will take place at 1:00 PM.