When Anthony Kidston of Defiance graduates from high school this spring, he'll be headed to the University of Louisville on a baseball scholarship. Teams that have to face him this season on the diamond probably already wish it was June.
The righty was impressive Tuesday at Booster Field in Defiance's season opener, throwing a no-hitter, striking out 14 and walking just one Delta batter in a 4-0 win over the Panthers. During the domination, Delta hit one ball out of the infield.
"He's going to no-hit a few more people," stated Delta coach Dave Kina. "We made a few mistakes today, but if you can't score a run, you're not going to win."
Kidston admitted that he was happy to be back out competing after Defiance's basketball tournament run ended in the district finals a few weeks ago.
"We were all excited to get back out there as a team ... the last few weeks I've been in a depression after basketball, so to get to throw today, it felt really, really good," Kidston said. "I had a few jitters out there, but to me it was all about going out there and competing, having fun and trying to help our team get a win."
Defiance mentor Tom Held, now in his 14th season leading the Bulldogs, knows exactly what kind of competitor he has in his right-hander.
"That was a heck of a performance by Anthony. Today he was able to establish all three of his pitches and that's what made him so effective," Held said. "Very few high schoolers, heck very few major leaguers, use the change as their main pitch, but Anthony does. He had command of his fastball and that just made his change that much better.
"He's a gamer ... read all the quotes in the paper from (Defiance basketball) coach (Kirk) Lehman about him. Anthony just likes to compete," added Held. "When the situation gets tougher, he gets tougher, and there's never any panic from Anthony."
The only situation Kidston faced against the Panthers came in the top of third inning.
A one-out walk to Tyler Fahrer, followed by a Defiance error on a ball hit by Wyatt Bronson, gave the visitors runners at first and second. Hoping to seize the momentum, Delta was quickly shut down as Kidston struck out Hunter Macionsky and Alex Betz to squash the threat and keep the game scoreless.
"Anthony is a special ballplayer and he showed why in that inning," said Kina.
In the first two innings, Delta starter Dominic Mattimore kept the Bulldogs off-balance, but in the third Defiance broke through.
Dom Gentile reached on an error to start the frame before stealing second base, one of eight stolen bases in the game for the home team. A bunt single toward first by lead-off man Jacob Moore quickly put runners on the corners. When Moore stole second, that left two runners in scoring position for Joe Keween. The left-handed batter delivered with a single to right, just under the glove of Betz, that scored both Gentile and Moore for a 2-0 Defiance lead.
"My job going up to the plate was to hit the ball to the right side, and when I got that inside pitch, I knew all I had to do was try and pull the ball," Keween said. "Luckily the ball got through and both runs scored. It felt good to help us get the lead."
Mattimore looked to stem the tide after a double-play, but Kidston, who reached via a walk, stole second and third, before Rob Zeigler coaxed a walk. A single to right by Shea Murray allowed Kidston to score, but Zeigler was thrown out trying to score from second, ending the inning. But, the damage had been done with the Bulldogs up, 3-0.
"That hit was big, especially on a day like today with the wind blowing in and their pitcher around the plate like he was," Held said. "When Joe gets that inside pitch, he has the green light to swing at it. When he got it, he did just what he's supposed to do."
Defiance added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Kidston that scored Moore. That was more than enough runs for the Bulldogs as Kidston struck out the side in the top of the seventh to finish off the 14-strikeout performance.
"It was great to get out here and play, and we'll take weather like this all spring long," said Held after Defiance's opener on Saturday was postponed by rain. "The guys played well, we still have a lot of things to work on, but it was a great day for baseball."
Defiance returns to action on Thursday when it hits the road to face Findlay at 5 p.m.
Linescore
Delta 000 000 0 - 0 0 3
Defiance 003 010 x - 4 4 1
Records: Defiance 1-0, Delta 0-1.
Winning pitcher: Anthony Kidston (7 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 14 strikeouts, 1 walk).
Losing pitcher: Dominic Mattimore (6 innings, 4 runs, 4 hits, 1 strikeout, 2 walks).
Leading hitters: (Delta, 0 hits). (Defiance, 4 hits).