After the longest layoff of the season, the Namur Angels returned to action Tuesday night at Borgerhout facing a Squirrels team that they split within the first portion of the season. The outcome was never in doubt as the first seven Angels reached base and scored en route to an inning that saw the entire lineup bat twice. Eric Hufnagel then took care of the rest as he tossed a no-hitter over the seven-inning game. He struck out 13, walked six, and hit a batter in his Belgian debut, a 21-1 victory.
In the top of the first, table-setter Philip Van Woensel worked a walk and Nicolas Migeot followed with a hit, a passed ball moved the runners over and a single from Morgan Brown started the scoring. After a Juny Gressman single to load the bases, Jerome Sana cleared them by shooting a double up the right-center field gap. A walk to Ronny Heymans and a Ludovic Geuquet single loaded the bases again before Borgerhout finally recorded an out, Cedric Nauts singled in one run and Van Woensel repeated this one batter latter, while Brown followed suit to right field to plate two more. Gressman singled in Migeot, Sana walked, and Heymans delivered a sacrifice fly. Geuquet, Xavier Pierreux, and Nauts all drew walks to load the bases with two outs before the Squirrels finally escaped.
Hufnagel kept the momentum on Namur’s side by retiring the first eight batters, six via the strikeout. He struck out the side in the second and fifth innings and only surrendered a run in the fifth when he hit a batter and walked the next three before fanning the number two, three, and four hitters with the bases loaded.
Namur added three runs in the fourth, one in the fifth, two in the sixth, and one in the seventh. Van Woensel scored four times with two hits and two walks, Migeot collected three hits and scored three times. Brown collected three hits, three runs, and four RBIs including a solo home run in the seventh to cap the Namur scoring. Gressman had a pair of hits, Sana had three RBIs and scored three times, and Heymans had a perfect three for three day with a walk and a sacrifice fly.
Hufnagel is coming from the Johnson and Wales College, Rhode Island and is strengthen the pitching staff of the Angels in remaining games of the final round.
Hufnagel, who just majored in nutrition, enjoyed a successful college career. In 2007, he posted a 1.93 ERA along with 11,8 strikeouts per 9 innings, good for third in the nation. This Spring, the Wildcats’ ace fanned 85 in 72,2 innings pitched, recording seven wins against only one loss.
Hufnagel has excellent work ethic and has already displayed some natural abilities working with kids. Just like Morgan Brown and Caleb Calarco, who have done a tremendous job so far, he will be involved in the coaching of the young Angels prospects.
{mrb-standing:belgium-2nd-2008}
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