Freshman Samantha Boykin threw the first no-hitter of her career in a 10-0 win over visiting Chagrin Falls on Monday.
Boykin walked one and struck out 13 in the five-inning win.
“Her performance on the mound shows her focus and commitment, marking an important milestone in her career and for our team,” said Harvey coach Betsy Hada. “Samantha has taken a thoughtful approach to her development. She has dedicated time to studying batters and improving her spin pitches, using that knowledge to gain an advantage on the mound.”
Boykin’s dominance began with her first pitch.
“Sam was dominant from the start, striking out the side in both the first and second innings,” Hada said. “She opened the third by fanning the first batter, then got (the next batter) to line out to first. Unfazed, Sam struck out the next hitter to close out the inning. In the top of the fourth, (the Tigers) tried to disrupt the no-hitter with a bunt attempt, but third baseman Giselle Moreno made a spectacular diving catch on the popped-up bunt. From there, Sam took complete control, striking out every remaining batter to close out the game in commanding fashion.”
With Boykin keeping the Chagrin Falls hitters in check, Harvey’s offense went right to work in the bottom of the first.
Jayla Holloway drew a leadoff walk and stole her way to third. She then scored on a wild pitch. Moreno hit a two-out double and scored on an error.
The Red Raiders added three more runs in the second.
Dayanna Soto started the rally with a one-out double and scored on Holloway’s RBI triple. Boykin followed with an RBI triple, and she scored on Dana Ramirez’s RBI single.
Harvey added two more runs in the third and fourth innings and closed out their five-inning win with a run in the fifth.
Holloway and Soto both finished the game 2-for-2, with Holloway recording a triple, two walks, three stolen bases, and two RBI. Soto doubled, scored two runs, and walked once. Ramirez finished 2-for-3 with three RBI. Boykin, Moreno, and Payton Robertson each had one hit for the Red Raiders.
“This game showcased our commitment to excellence on every side of the ball,” Hada said. “In the bottom of the first inning, Jayla Holloway put us on the board by capitalizing on a wild pitch and a walk from Payton Robertson, with each event contributing a run. Defensively, we executed our game plan, not committing a single error, with Ramirez handling 13 chances in the field. This comprehensive performance on both offense and defense not only secured our victory but also set a high standard for the challenges ahead.”
Harvey hosts Orange on Tuesday.
