Collinsville’s senior ace Tanner Houck threw a no-hitter against Carbondale Thursday afternoon, and the Kahoks beat the Terriers 3-2.
Houck delivers against Carbondale / photo by John Layton
Houck was 3-for-3 at the plate, drove in two runs and scored the game-winning run. He threw a complete game, struck out seven, walked two and hit two others. The senior right hander is now 6-3 on the season.
Despite his final stat line, the first inning was a tough one on the mound for Houck.
Carbondale scored two unearned runs after Houck hit the first batter and then walked another. A steal attempt led to a Terrier baserunner getting caught in a run-down between third and home, but he was able to score after a misthrow.
The second run scored after a pitch found its way past senior catcher Zack Mathes to the backstop.
Collinsville Head Coach Pete Trapp said to give Carbondale credit.
“They had some really good at bats in the first inning,” Trapp said.
The Collinsville (19-14 overall) offense came out in the bottom of the first and took the lead right back from Carbondale. Houck got the scoring started with a two-RBI single.
Houck later scored after an errant throw on a pickoff attempt to give the Kahoks the lead, which they would hold for the rest of the afternoon. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for Collinsville, which is 4-2 in its last six games.
Trapp said allowing two unearned runs was frustrating, but he gives his team a lot of credit.
“We were a little sloppy in the first inning,” Trapp said. “Those guys in the dugout did a great job of having each other’s backs and fighting back and scoring three runs right there.”
Houck was not the only Kahok that had a good game Thursday. Junior shortstop Grant Bauer was 1-for-2 with a run scored. Junior second baseman Mitch Reising was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Senior center fielder Aaron Peskar was 1-for-2 with a walk.
Trapp said the victory was a great team win that took everyone and every little thing.
“It took the guys who were on the field. It took the guys who were on the bench. It took base running,” Trapp said. “It could very easily have been, ‘Oh, hey, feel sorry for us,’ but no. Our kids didn’t do that.”
With a Regional match-up against Belleville East looming next Thursday, May 29, Trapp said wins are wins, especially when the team got down and had to come back.
“We had to fight and claw, and we did that,” Trapp said. “I’m pretty damn proud of them today.”
Collinsville plays again Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Jersey. The Kahoks will have one more regular season game after that on Monday, May 26, at 4:15 p.m. at Triad.
