Senior Devin Monds was pitching the finest game of his life and he didn’t even know it.
The Northeastern baseball starter had thrown seven no-hit innings Sunday at Friedman Diamond against the University of Hartford, and entered the eighth inning the same as he had for any other inning.
By the end of the ninth, everyone at the park and on both teams knew what had occurred. Monds had thrown nine no-hit innings. The game remained scoreless, however, and his no-hit bid was interrupted by leadoff man Adam Bowser in the 10th inning.
“I had no idea what was happening, I just kept pitching,” Monds said. “I realized what was happening in the eighth. Coach [Neil] McPhee didn’t realize until the eighth, either. He wanted everyone to keep quiet about it.”
Monds, a native of Ottawa, Ontario, threw 14 strikeouts in the effort while giving up three walks. He has been named The Northeastern News Player of the Week.
Monds joined an elite group of Northeastern performances, as the last time a pitcher went a full nine innings without giving up a hit was just under 20 years ago. Joe Killelea pitched a no-hitter on May 3, 1985 against MIT.
“Even when I realized what was going on, I just kept throwing strikes and relying on my defense to make plays,” Monds said.
Monds currently owns a 1-2 record with a 3.80 ERA.
He posted a 5-2 record during his freshman year as a Husky, leading the America East with 1.80 ERA in 65 innings pitched.
He then went 2-4 and 5-4, respectively, in his next two seasons.
Monds was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers following his senior year at Nepean High School. He also pitched for Team Canada for a year.
– Staff writer Jeff Powalisz