Lake Central’s Connor Misch has yet to pitch a perfect game.
But the Xavier recruit estimated he has thrown a half-dozen no-hitters in his career.
Misch added to his collection in Lake Central’s Duneland Athletic Conference opener against visiting Crown Point on Tuesday. Not that he noticed.
“I wasn’t even paying attention to the scoreboard,” he said. “I was just doing my thing.”
Misch didn’t allow a hit while striking out two and walking three in the Indians’ 10-0 win in five innings.
“It feels good just to open up the conference games with a ‘W.’ … To finish with a no-hitter, it feels really good,” he said.
The senior left-hander made his first start for Lake Central (3-1, 1-0), which is ranked No. 7 in the Class 4A state coaches poll, after pitching an inning to finish its season-opening win against Providence on Friday. Misch said he “struggled” in that appearance, allowing two runs, one of which was earned. He had no such issues against Crown Point (2-1, 0-1).
“Connor pitched great,” Lake Central coach Mike Swartzentruber said. “His tempo was good. … We want our guys to work fast, and he did. He pitched a heck of a game. He shut down a very good team. He was in command.”
Lake Central’s defense made it easier for Misch to be efficient.
“It’s really nice knowing you have an elite infield behind you,” Misch said. “I can throw any pitch in any count, and I know those guys are going to make the play behind me. It’s nice having that trust.
“I just had a feel for my curveball and my fastball. I really didn’t have to do too much, strike guys out. I was pitching to contact. I was just pitching to the glove and getting outs.”
Lake Central turned two double plays, including one in the fifth after the first two batters in the inning reached base. Junior Joey Carra made a nifty sliding catch in right to end the first, and junior shortstop Hunter Snyder, a Columbia recruit, made a nice play on a sharply hit grounder to open the second.
Sophomore third baseman Griffin Tobias, an Indiana commit, made the play of the game, diving to his left on a liner to end the third.
“We have an elite defense,” Swartzentruber said. “Our infield is good. You’re talking about Division I kids all through our infield.”
Misch also produced with the bat. He singled to center in the first to drive in the game’s first run, and he hit a bases-clearing triple in the second to make it 5-0.
“You saw him swing the bat,” Swartzentruber said. “He’s dangerous. He’s a Division I commit for a reason. He’s a heck of a player.”
Junior catcher Matt Santana, a Tennessee commit, had two hits and a walk, including a double and a two-run single. Junior second baseman Josh Adamczewski also had two hits and a walk, including a triple. Sophomore first baseman Brenden Smith added a two-run double.
“We’re swinging the bats well,” Swartzentruber said. “We’re playing hard, playing aggressive. When we get well-pitched games, we’re going to be pretty hard to beat. Crown Point didn’t play their best (Tuesday), but they’re a really good team.”
Misch delivered that well-pitched game, as he generally has done in his two seasons at Lake Central. He transferred before his junior year from Andrean, where he was a first baseman on the 59ers’ Class 3A state championship team as a freshman in 2019.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Misch didn’t pitch when he was 6-0 and 145.
“I wasn’t developed and ready to go,” he said. “I was a little bit undersized. But I learned more about who I am with adversity and became resilient and just overall became a better baseball player. It’s definitely been a journey, physically maturing and developing mental maturity.”
Misch believes this Lake Central team also has that sort of championship composition. But he also understands the notion of not looking too far ahead, especially after the Indians lost 2-1 to Munster
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in the Merrillville Sectional final last season.“If I would use one word to describe this team, it’s ‘electric,'” Misch said. “Our highest expectation is to go to Victory Field and win the state championship. But I feel like we got into the habit last year of, ‘OK, we have this big goal.’ We need to take care of what’s at hand.
“We have to take it a game at a time because we know we have the talent and the roster and the depth to make a huge run. But we just have to focus on the next game.”
Swartzentruber has appreciated Misch’s approach and contributions.
“He and I are very similar,” Swartzentruber said. “We butt heads sometimes, but in a good way. It’s like we’re family, father and son. He’s very competitive; I’m very competitive. He’s strong-willed, and I am too.
“He was a great addition to us a couple years ago. We’re happy to have him. He’s a big part of what we’re doing. We expect a big year out of him.”