SL Product Throws No-Hitter For Lancers
Bryan Hanks, Sports Editor
April 30, 2006
© The Free Press

The legend of Paul Novicki continues to grow.

The former South Lenoir three-sport star, whose athletic exploits of game-winning basketball shots and pitching performances could fill a book, added another chapter to his mythic feats on Saturday when he pitched a no-hitter for Lenoir Community College against Southeastern Community College.

Novicki and the second-ranked Lancers won that game, 8-0, and then nearly pulled off another no-hitter against the Rams when Michael Oglesby didn’t give up a base knock until the sixth inning as LCC won the nightcap of the doubleheader, 5-1.

Novicki struck out 11 and only walked two in his 82-pitch gem in the seven-inning contest. He said it was the first no-hitter, at any level, in his career.

Ironically, he walked the first batter he faced on Saturday but an alteration in his grip for his change-up made all the difference.

“When I was in the bullpen before the game, my stuff was horrible,” Novicki said. “But changing my change-up grip made that pitch a lot better. My curveball was the best it’s been all year.”

The freshman southpaw said he was aware he was heading towards history.

“It wasn’t any fun during the game,” Novicki said with a chuckle. “I would look over to the scoreboard to see the outs and I kept seeing zero hits, so I started trying not to look at the scoreboard.”

Novicki praised his defense, including a pair of spectacular defensive plays by third baseman Jon Jon Mirra that preserved the no-hitter.

LCC coach Stony Wine said it was the first time he’d ever coached in a no-hitter.

“That was fun and that was special,” Wine said. “Novicki was sharp all day and when he missed, he missed low. He worked ahead of the guys and they didn’t hit too many off him.”

Novicki earned the respect of SCC coach Joey Autry.

“The Novicki kid was just outstanding,” said Autry, whose team fell to 20-24 after the doubleheader sweep. “He just threw strikes and placed his pitches well. It’s the first time we’ve been no-hit in a while; it’s not good for us, but it’s good for them.”

It was the fifth no-hitter in LCC’s 28-year history, but the third in the last two years. Current sophomore Anthony Hernandez delivered a nine-inning no-hitter against Community College of Baltimore County-Catonsville on March 31, 2005. The trio of Blake King, Taylor McCown and Blake Joeckel combined for a seven-inning no-no on April 12, 2005.

The other two LCC no-hitters came in 1997 (Shannon Sweet at Louisburg) and 2001 (Justin Croom vs. Spartanburg Methodist).

LCC scored one run in the first inning of the opener and broke the game open with a four-spot in the second. Joe Wade’s three-RBI single in the second was a key part of the rout. Mirra (2-for-4, two runs), Jes Snyder (2-fof-4, run) and Airlon Vinson (2-for-4, two RBIs) were the Lancers with more than one hit, while J.J. House added the other RBI.

Novicki’s victory was also special for another reason: The win was LCC’s 37th of the season, a new school record. The previous record was 36, which was set last season.The win in the nightcap improved the Lancers to 38-9.

In the second game, Oglesby, the team’s No. 1 pitcher, was nearly as dominating as Novicki. The sophomore righty didn’t give up his first hit until Mike Hodge led off the sixth with a double to right field.

Wine was holding Oglesby, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, to a strict pitch count of 65. When Oglesby left after the sixth inning, he was at 59.

If Oglesby still had his no-hitter after six innings, the player said he would have tried to encourage Wine to let him stay in the game.

“My arm feels good, so I definitely would have lobbied him,” Oglesby said. “But I know (Wine) is trying to ease me back into this thing.”

Even though he didn’t get his bookend no-hitter, Oglesby said he has his eyes on the prize.

“No-hitters are great and I’d love to get one,” Oglesby said. “But we have a goal as a team and that’s to get to Millington (site of the Division II World Series). I’d rather do that then have a no-hitter.”

Mike O’Connor, the Region 10 player of the week last week after a 9-for-12 weekend at Spartanburg Methodist, continued his hot-hitting ways in the nightcap, finishing 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. No other Lancer had more than one hit, but Vinson and Chad Dawkins had an RBI each.

There was a scary moment in the sixth inning of the second game when House was hit above the left eye by an SCC pitch. The sophomore outfielder lay still on the ground for a few moments but eventually was helped to his feet by Wine. He was removed from the game when a huge welt started growing above his eye. He was taken to the hospital immediately after the game, but was cleared to play in today’s games.

“I was real scared,” Wine said of House’s injury. “That pitcher was throwing 85 or 86 (mph) and when you’re throwing that fast, I don’t take any chances.”

The Lancers face the Rams today in another doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m. at LCC. The team plays at Grainger Stadium at 7 p.m. on Tuesday against Pitt Community College and wraps up the 2006 regular season with a game against Louisburg at East Carolina University’s Clark-LeClair Stadium at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

Correspondent Chandra Williams contributed to this story. Bryan C. Hanks can be reached at (252) 527-3191, Ext. 250, or at bhanks@freedomenc.com. Check out Bryan’s blog at http://bhanks.enctoday.com.