NA hurler flirts with perfection against Butler

By DEREK PYDA Eagle Staff Writer

April 06, 2004 Last Updated: January 06, 2005 12:14 PM High School

WEXFORD - It might not have been a perfect day for baseball, but that didn't stop North Allegheny's Eric Leuthold from toiling with perfection.

The senior pitcher had a perfect game after 6

innings Monday afternoon against Butler.

The Golden Tornado managed to tally a hit and a run in the top of the seventh, but the Tigers walked away with an 8-1 section win.

"He was on today," Butler coach Ron Zawrotuk said. "He consistently threw strikes."

Leuthold struck out 11 and walked one in the win.

"He's usually more of a control pitcher," said NA coach Tim Banner. "Also, this was our fifth game of the season and it was Butler's first. That might have had something to do with the strikeout numbers."

Whatever the reason, Leuthold baffled Golden Tornado batters until the last inning.

After forcing Butler's Aaron Ordy to groundout, Leuthold lost his perfect game when he walked Adam Miller.

He then lost the no-hitter and shutout when Mike Dorondo doubled to deep center, plating Miller.

"It's pretty tough when you lose a perfect game, a no-hitter and a shutout all in one inning," said Banner.

"It was a bit of a bummer," Leuthold said. "But it was still a solid performance early in the season. That's how I'll remember this game."

Butler starter Bill Coulter shouldered the loss after pitching 3

innings, surrendering seven runs on nine hits. He struck out three and walked three.

The Tigers (4-1, 1-1) jumped out in front in the bottom of the first inning when Blake Jurena reached on an error and Tim Merolillo walked.

Both runners advanced on a double steal. Jurena scored on Tyler Haak's single and Merolillo came home on a wild pitch.

"We've got several players with some flat-out speed," said Banner. "And we take advantage of that whenever we can."

The Tigers took the field in the second inning with a 3-0 lead, which was more than enough for Leuthold, who, at least for one day, became a strikeout pitcher, fanning seven of the first nine batters he faced.

"I was a bit surprised at the strikeouts," said Leuthold. "My curveball was really working today. I don't think (Butler) was ready for a lot of curveballs."

"I don't know if it was that our hitters were tentative at the plate," said Zawrotuk. "But you've got to hit the ball and we weren't ready today."

Coulter gave way to Kevin Krause with two outs in the fourth. Krause struck out one, walked two and gave up two runs in 1

innings.

Tom Lavere pitched the bottom of the sixth for Butler (0-1) and struck out two batters.

Butler 000 000 1 - 1 1 3

N. Allegheny 301 400 x - 8 12 0

WP:

Eric Leuthold (7 IP) 11 strikeouts, 1 walk.

LP:

Bill Coulter (3

IP) 3 strikeouts, 3 walks

Butler (0-1):