Kankakee Times

Jonathan Hentschel said everything he threw against Morthland was working, which means the Patriots' bats were silent.

Hentschel, a right-handed starting pitcher for Olivet Nazarene University (ONU), threw a no-hitter against Morthland on Sept. 23 in Bourbonnais, leading the Tigers to a 9-0 win in seven innings.

“This was my first no-hitter ever, at any level,” Hentschel said in an email interview with the Kankakee Times. “And I had never really come close to throwing one before in college, so that makes it even more memorable for me. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Hentschel, a junior from Midland, Michigan, said he had great command of his three pitches, with his change-up and slider moving well. The thought of notching a no-hitter entered his mind after he made it through the Patriots' lineup the first time, Hentschel said. According to ONUTigers.com, Hentschel faced the minimum number of batters through the first four innings.

“I had the feeling that something special was possible with the way I was pitching,” Hentschel said.

The first Morthland base runner came via a walk in the fifth inning.

Hentschel said he had been battling some physical issues coming into the game. Hentschel had knee surgery during the summer and some shoulder problems as well. That got his trainer and coaches talking with him between innings to check on his health.

“Because we have a somewhat limited pitch count during the fall season, I don’t think they would have let me finish if I didn't have a no-no going,” Hentschel said. “So while having a continual conversation was pretty unconventional, they had my best interests in mind.”

After walking the first batter of the seventh inning, Hentschel struck out the side to secure the no-hitter. Hentschel said he was thankful after the game, given all of the health issues he had gone through. Hentschel credited head trainer B.J. Gaesa for getting him back on the mound and pitching effectively.

The way his team reacted was special to him, Hentschel said.

“They rushed the field after the final out and poured a bunch of water on me, and every guy gave me a hug on the field,” Hentschel said. “Also, I was thrilled that I got to throw to our catcher Ben Hill, who is my roommate and good friend. It’s definitely something that we won’t forget.”

Hentschel is coming off a strong sophomore season at ONU. He was 9-3 in 16 appearances, with a 3.60 earned-run average. His win total and ERA both were improvements over last season, as was his .249 opponents' batting average allowed.

Coming into college baseball, Hentschel said he didn't have great command of his pitches, nor did he pitch with creativity.

“Now I have the confidence to throw any pitch in any count, and I have a great deal of trust in the game plan my catcher and I like to use,” Hentschel said. “I have learned how to be unpredictable and how to attack hitters early in the count, and I think against Morthland, it really showed how much progress I have made since coming here.”