The Tribune

By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

WITH all the negativity and controversy surrounding sports these days, in all the various sporting disciplines, both locally and internationally, it’s always refreshing to see youth excel in sports, giving hope, with a new generation of athletes on the rise.

Young athletes with tremendous potential, and once developed, will carry their various sporting disciplines into the future, setting a standard to be achieved, maintained and eventually surpassed.

I got to be a part of one of those rare moments in sports this past Sunday afternoon at the JBLN playing fields.

I guess you can call it a coach’s reward.

I thoroughly enjoy coaching youth sports, and serving as one of the assistant coaches along with Wade DuGay to head coach Elvardo Miller on the Fidelity Diamondbacks.

In a game between the Blue Bird Royals and our Diamondbacks, in the Minors Division of JBLN, we got to witness starting pitcher Anthony Miller Jr throw 5 innings of “no hit” ball in a 7-1 Diamondbacks victory.

Yes, you read correctly.

Five innings pitched, 11 strikeouts. 76 pitches thrown - 50 strikes and 26 balls.

Very impressive numbers, at any level.

Some major league pitchers long for a stat line like that.

The Royals scored their only run on a walk and two errors.

Miller was assisted in the victory offensively by Annan Rhaming, Sternaz Seymour and Santxol Zenicazelaya who all went 1-3 at the plate respectively, with RBIs.

Defensively Miller got help from a vastly improved infield, Zachary Young at short stop, Kevin Roberts at second Mathew Stuart at third, and Logan Turnquest in centre field.

First year players Abraham Bowe and Alex Stuart fought through getting hit by pitches in their debuts in the division, but showed lots of potential in the process. There’s still a long way to go in the season and lots of baseball left to be played, but a “no hitter” is a no hitter at any level.

So congratulations to the Diamondbacks on a successful opening game, especially the “A Train” Anthony Miller Jr (you know we had to give him a nickname) in his impressive no hit outing. And to the rest of the minor league, put a little respect on the Diamonbacks name, a lot has changed since last season.

Until next week, I’m off to order thermal “under armor” and Arctic winter wear. Bud Light and Bud Light Carribean are sending me to Super Bowl 52 in -4 as we speak in Minnesota.

I can’t believe I’m going to have to pull for my Cowboys nemesis, and NFC East division rival Philadelphia Eagles, more on that next week.

• Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm, on KISS FM 96.1. Comments and questions to naughty@tribunemedia.net