The 2023 baseball season took off with a 10-0 Ironmen win over the Limestone Rockets on March 15.

The Ironmen hope that their run-rule decision over Limestone is a sign of things to come this season.

Jacob O’Day and Ethan Eberle threw a combined no-hitter in the season opener, which was called after Community’s nine-run fifth inning. 

After the Iron took a 1-0 lead in the first, Coach Ryan Short’s squad was held scoreless over the next three innings.

“We hit some balls really hard right at guys,” Short said, “and Limestone made plays on those.”

Come the fifth inning, Community would be making the plays.

The Iron strung together eight consecutive baserunners–capitalizing on the Rocket pitching staff’s struggles to find the strike zone. 

Limestone walked seven Iron batters in the contest, with Community’s Ryan Theile drawing four. 

Riley Hendren reached base safely in three of his four at-bats, drawing a walk and recording a single and a double. In his first year on varsity, Hendren has a chance to help replace the production of the Iron’s No. 1 and 3 highest-average hitters — Zander Morrison and Shea Zbrozek. 

Owen Cavanaugh and Eberle contributed to the 9-run barrage, each tallying two RBIs on the day.

“It was good for the guys to feel that positive avalanche,” Short said.

O’Day tallied six punchouts over three innings.

In relief, Eberle tossed two scoreless innings and recorded four strikeouts.

The takeaway from the game, Short said, was “how ready our pitching was to perform.” 

“We were dominant, with a lot of first-pitch strikes,” Short said.  

Limestone’s lone baserunner reached on a throwing error.