Blackfoot’s Dax Whitney pitches perfect game
IDAHO FALLS (KIFI) - In 1952, 19-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Ron Necciai became the only pitcher ever to strike out every batter in a game. His effort resulted in a no-hitter.
Thursday, one month shy of 72 years later, 17-year-old Dax Whitney of the Blackfoot Broncos nearly matched that feat. He struck out all but one batter in a mercy rule-shortened five innings.
But Whitney outdid Necciai. Necciai surrendered a walk, an error, a hit batsman, and a passed ball. Whitney’s outing against the Idaho Falls Tigers was a perfect game.
The Broncos crossed home plate at Melaleuca Field four times before Whitney even took the mound. Blackfoot drew two run-scoring walks before Sy Callister hit a two-RBI single.
Dax Whitney was named Local News 8’s Athlete of the Week just one day prior.
For those who aren’t familiar, he’s an Oregon State commit with a 96 mile-per-hour fastball. That’s faster than most MLB starting pitchers.
The Tigers simply could not keep up with Whitney’s blazing speed as he repeatedly struck out the side. The Broncos gave him plenty of cushion to work with, scoring 11 runs in the second inning. In order:
- Cole Robinson hit an RBI double.
- Robinson scored on a wild pitch.
- West Layton hit an RBI double.
- Sy Callister hit an RBI single.
- Nash Randall hit an RBI single.
- Easton Cannon hit an RBI single.
- Cole Robinson hit a two-RBI double.
- Dax Whitney helped his own cause with an RBI single.
- Jace Cooper hit an RBI single.
- Jake Vance hit an RBI sacrifice grounder.
The 25-minute-long top of the second did not ice Whitney’s momentum on the mound. The Broncos’ eventual 19-0 mercy rule victory limited Whitney to five innings instead of the usual seven.
Whitney faced 15 batters. He struck out 14 of them. That tied his career high for the third time in his last seven starts.
There may be no such thing as perfection, but Dax Whitney was a strikeout away from the most perfect perfection possible. That’s closer than most people may ever get.
