Whittemore-Prescott’s Michael Blust throws perfect game

Whittemore, Mich. — During Monday’s double-header versus Hale, Cardinal’s pitcher Michael Blust threw a perfect game. He achieved the feat with 6 strikeouts, 11 ground outs, and 1 pop out during game one and needed only 62 pitches. It was also the first perfect game in Whittemore-Prescott history, according to head coach Ed Mervyn.

The Cardinals defeated Hale 7-0 in game one of the double header and then won game two 7-3.

“Well when I was warming up, I knew it was going to be a good day. I could just feel it in my arm and off–speed was all working,” said Blust.

Blust and his teammates realized what was going on three or four innings into the game. Some of those teammates broke an unwritten baseball rule when they began telling everyone in the dugout.

“Yeah, actually when Cody Steinley said he was throwing a perfect game he said it a lot in the dug out,” said second baseman Tony Lyons.

“That part I didn’t do,” Steinley replied. “I know they say I did but I don’t remember saying it.”

With the Eagles down to their last out and last strike in the 6th, they tried something unconventional. The Hale batter squared and bunted in a desperation attempt to get on base.

“Kid bunts it right to me and I thought I threw it away,” Blust recalled.

“Our first baseman made a good play on it and reached for it and got it,” Lyons finished.

There was more debate between Lyons and Steinley about who was the first to get to the mound to congratulate Blust. Lyons tackled him in celebration immediately following the first game. The team waited until after the second game to give him a proper spray down with water bottles.

Perfection runs in the Blust family. Michael’s father and grandfather also threw perfect games during their high school careers. Blust wants to throw another perfect game to tie his father’s two perfect games.

“He did the same thing his Dad did to him. He just came up to me and shook my hand and patted me on the back.”