By:Patrick Hall Tuesday, 18 April, 2006

In the midst of a season where everything has seemed to go against them, everything went right for the Pratt Beavers (11-27, 8-18) Monday afternoon at Stanion Field as they took two games from Colby Community College (25-22, 14-10). The Beavers took advantage of a strong wind blowing in from left field to deliver two superb pitching performances, winning 2-0 and 2-1 against the visiting Trojans.

In game one, freshman Manuel Ruiz from Mexico City, Mexico, became the first Pratt Beaver since 1990 to pitch a no-hitter. Ruiz (2-4) overcame three walks, two hit-by-pitches and an error of his own to keep the Trojans out of the hit column and help the Beavers to a 2-0 victory. Pratt manufactured a run in the fourth inning to get their first run on the board. Kent Taylor led off the inning with his team leading 26th walk of the season and moved to second on Brandon Hudson's sacrifice bunt. The next hitter was sophomore Gabe McCullin, who delivered a single up the middle as Taylor slid in to the plate just ahead of the throw from centerfielder Ben Gordon.

That would prove to be enough for Ruiz, who struck out three in his gem and allowed the Trojans to pop up 12 times into the stiff wind. Just for good measure though, the Beavers added another run in the seventh. Once again a McCullin hit scored Taylor. This time with Taylor at second and Hudson at first, McCullin hit a ground ball between short and third that shortstop Brian Sulzman was able to keep in the infield. Sulzman tried to get Taylor at third, but his throw was late and errant, making its way into the Beavers' dugout, allowing Taylor to score.

It was an uneventful bottom half of the inning for Ruiz. He retired the leadoff hitter on strikes and then induced two ground balls to Hudson at short to end the game.

In the nightcap, Pratt received a second strong pitching performance, this time from freshman Chris Brown. Brown went five and two-thirds, allowing no runs on six hits, while walking three as the Beavers got the sweep 2-1.

Pratt got the scoring started in the first inning when sophomore leadoff hitter Rory Rierson singled to right to start the game and then stole second base. Justin Cunningham followed with a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt down the third base line that third baseman Eric Whitford threw over the first baseman's head and into right field to score Rierson.

The Beavers manufactured an insurance run in the fifth inning, when Rierson again found his way on, leading off the inning with a full count walk. Cunningham again moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. Alex Denning then delivered a single to plate Rierson from second.

The Trojans threatened to score in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with an infield single with one out. However, Brown induced a high chopper to third baseman Andy Schatzley who jumped and snared it, threw to Cunningham at second, who made a smooth turn to Denning at first to thwart the rally.

Colby would scratch across a run in the seventh off closer Brian White, who allowed one unearned to earn the save, but would strand the game-tying run on third to end the game. White, who tied the school record for saves last season, garnered his first save in his first relief appearance of the season.

The two victories move the Beavers into eighth place in the Jayhawk West with six conference games to play. They will see action again on Wednesday, hosting Barton County Community College at Stanion Field at 1:00. Despite the two losses, Colby hangs on to the third spot in the Jayhawk West. They will play host to Cloud County Community College on Wednesday.

Notes: Ruiz threw the second no-hitter in Beaver Baseball history. The first, Steve Grennan in 1990- Freshman Bryan Swenson threw 2/3 perfect innings in game two for his 16th appearance of the season, moving him ahead of Nathan Perez for the team lead and moving him into a tie for fourth place for the most in Pratt history. The record holder for games pitched is Bruce Huelsman who appeared in 20 games in 1988- White's save moved him into a three way tie for the career school record for saves with eight. Tim Hays (1996-97) and Huelsman (1987-88) also saved eight games for the Beavers in their career.