Perfect in Niagara!

A powerful pitching performance from Riley Dugas ends in the team's first-ever perfect game.

On a night when the Niagara Falls Falcons 13U team began its playoff run, nobody knew that this game would turn out to be a little more special.   

Starting pitcher Riley Dugas stepped on the mound in the first inning to open the best of three series hoping to do his best to help the team win. 7 innings later Riley threw his 85th pitch not only racking up his 15th strikeout of the night but securing the team's first-ever perfect game.  

The game began as a pitchers duel with both the Pelham Panthers and Niagara Falls Falcons trading scoreless innings until two home runs in the 4th inning by Jonathan Ferraro and Riley Dugas broke the ice and put the Falcons up 4-0. Another 4 runs in the 5th inning by the Falcons and that was all they needed to secure the game one victory.

As the top of the 7th inning began, the fans in attendance knew what was at stake.  The coaching staff on the bench traded looks without saying a word, too superstitious to say anything, but they all knew what could happen. After striking out the first two batters in the top of the 7th, a silence came over the fans around the diamond. A silence that one doesn't usually see at a ball game. With the third batter of the inning at the plate and the first two pitches crossing the plate as strikes, not a single person said a word, complete silence.  That was until the third pitch was delivered, a swing, and strike three. Riley's teammates rushed the mound, eager to congratulate their starting pitcher on a great game, perhaps not quite knowing just how special it was.  Humble to what was accomplished, a sly smirk told you all you needed to know about how he felt. Game ball in hand, he holds a reminder of not only this night's accomplishment but of the bright baseball future ahead.

The GNBA would like to congratulate Riley Dugas on his perfect game

Congratulations