Professional scouts from the Boston Red Sox were in the stands Friday night when Hanover traveled to rival Lee-Davis for a key district baseball game. Though the scouts would not confirm who they were watching, it did not take much intuition to figure it out because Hawks’ senior pitcher Jacob Mayers has been no stranger to attracting attention. “I average like three a game,” Mayers said after the contest. “I just try not to pay attention to that. I just try to play for the team and hopefully I can produce more.”

  Naturally, Mayers had things other than scouts on his mind when he took the mound against the Confederates. Still recuperating from a tonsillectomy, he had yet to return to peak form.

  Unfortunately for Lee-Davis, Mayers quickly showed that he was back to 100 percent, notching eight strikeouts in a 6-0 complete-game shutout of the Confederates. Mayers had a no-hitter going through four and two-thirds innings before Lee-Davis picked up their only two hits of the game but the C-feds never got a runner past second.

  “We certainly didn’t lay down,” said Lee-Davis head coach Kenny Lewis. “We got a couple of runners on so we were hoping. A small park here, you get a home run and we’re back in it, but (Mayers) just said no to that and that’s kind of how he’s been to us for oh these many years.”

  “He was fantastic,” Hanover head coach Charlie Dragum said of his pitcher’s performance. “This was a huge game and Jake is our guy. He hasn’t been throwing the ball really well but I figured tonight he’ll come out and do his thing and he surely did. I think he allowed two hits and was in command every pitch. That was awesome; one of the best performances in his four years.”

  After having faced Mayers for four years, Lewis knew his team had to be on top of their game even though they came into the game producing from the plate. “We were woefully inept but at some point you’ve got to give credit to the kid on the mound,” Lewis said. “We’re not an anemic offensive team, that was him.”

  Ironically, the pro scouts appeared more interested in aspects of Mayers game other than pitching. He did not disappoint in that area either, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

  To add to Mayers outstanding performance, the rest of the Hanover squad played an equally impressive game both defensively and offensively, jumping on Lee-Davis 4-0 in the top of the first.

  C-fed starter Jordan Boze got off to a rough start on the mound giving up a single to right by Hawks’ lead-off Bryson Kemler then walking Jeb Weymouth and Mayers to load the bases. Boze then walked Austin Erb, pushing Kemler home for a 1-0 Hanover lead.

  Next up Laine Denton singled to short and even though Lee-Davis got a force on Erb at second, Weymouth came home for a 2-0 lead.

  Jacob’s younger brother Eric Mayers (1–for-2, 2 runs, stolen base) then singled to right and Blake Jones, running in place of Jacob scored. A single to center by Jared Lipscombe allowed Denton to come home for a 4-0 Hawks’ lead.

  Stepping to the mound, Jacob Mayers made quick work of the C-fed slate in the bottom of the inning with three Ks.

  In the top of the second, Boze settled down for Lee-Davis and limited the Hanover offense over the next three innings but Hanover added to their lead in the top of the third. A single to right by Beau Flinchum (2-for-3, RBI) drove in Eric Mayers for a 5-0 lead.

  The Hawks reached the final margin in the top of the fourth on a squeeze play that allowed Jones to score for a 6-0 margin.

  Andrew Hacker came to the mound for Lee-Davis in the top of the fifth and held the Hawks scoreless over the rest of the game but the Hawks made every at-bat a struggle for the Confederates. No one emphasized that better than Hanover’s number-nine hitter, Thorton Glazebrook.

  Though Glazebrook went 1-for-4 from the plate, he made the C-fed pitchers earn the outs. “He didn’t’ get on either of his first two at-bats but he made the pitcher throw 21 pitches in two at-bats which is unbelievable,” Dragum said. “If you’re a nine guy, that’s all you can ask for. He made a nice hit and run. He does a lot of things for us. He’s a senior and he’s done a fantastic job.”

  Lewis admits that it would have been more of a game without giving up four runs in the first inning but added a qualifier. “It’s a ball game but you’ve still got to score to win and Mr. Mayers took care of that,” Lewis said. “We did struggle early but then settled down and obviously we had seven at bats. We had seven rounds to get it done and we didn’t. But that’s Jacob Mayers that’s all it is.”

  With the win Hanover moves to 7-0 in district play and can lock up the Capital District regular season title with a win against Atlee on Tuesday night. The game marked senior night for 10 Hanover players in what was expected to be an emotional one for Dragum. “There will be thoughts and tears on Tuesday,” he said.
 
Hanover…................. 401 100 0 — 6 7 0
Lee-Davis….............. 000 000 0 — 0 2 2
Mayers and Weymouth; Boze, Hacker (5) and Connerley. W: Mayers L: Boze
Highlights: Jake Mayers (H) 2 for 3, RBI, complete game, 8 K’s; Beau Flinchum (H) 2 for 3, RBI; Eric Mayers (H) 1 for 2, 2 runs, stolen base; Andrew Hacker (LD) 1 for 2
Records: Hanover 7-0 Capital, 12-0; Lee-Davis 5-2, 10-4