Madilyn Nickles fires perfect game for Merced

Madilyn Nickles couldn’t get the ball back fast enough. The Merced High School star was locked in and ready to make the next pitch.

Nickles was unhittable Wednesday afternoon as she overpowered a young Golden Valley team, retiring all 21 hitters who stepped to the plate as she tossed a perfect game in a 1-0 win for the Bears.

“She was awesome,” said Merced coach Bart McAfee, whose team improved to 10-4 overall and 5-0 in the Central California Conference.

How awesome?

Golden Valley’s Maddie Martinez led off the game with a bunt back to the circle for an out, and then Nickles struck out the next 11 hitters. She finished with 16 strikeouts and didn’t allow a ball out of the infield until the seventh inning.

“Maddy was on, and it’s not like I’m surprised,” said Golden Valley coach Ross Cruickshanks, whose team dropped to 4-11 and 1-4. “We’ve got some younger girls, and this is their first time facing someone like her. We’ve seen some good pitchers but not somebody with as much movement as Maddy.”

Nickles wasn’t aware she hadn’t allowed a baserunner until after the final out.

She feels it’s almost better that way.

“I like not knowing until the end,” said Nickles, who threw a no-hitter against Atwater in a CCC opener March 16. “That way I don’t overthink things. I’m so focused on every batter and trying not to let them get on that I can’t remember what happened in the past.”

Nickles hasn’t given up an earned run in five CCC starts this season, a string that’s now at 33 innings. She’s struck out an eye-popping 70 hitters in those five starts.

The Cougars’ lineup featured three freshmen and one sophomore, and Nickles wanted to take advantage of Golden Valley’s youth.

“I really wanted to move the ball up and down, rather than in the zone,” she said. “I really wanted them to swing and miss instead of throwing something fat over the plate to get a called strike.”

Christiane Grijalva was the tough-luck loser for the Cougars, limiting the Bears to one run and five hits.

Merced’s run came in the second inning as a leadoff walk came around to haunt Grijalva. Liliana Ramirez, who drew the walk, eventually scored on a wild pitch.

“Christiane got out of a lot of jams,” Cruickshanks said. “We lost on a passed ball. We’ve struggled to score runs, but I like where we’re going. I’m really proud of the girls.”

Atwater 2, Buhach Colony 1 at Atwater – Cheyenne Mahy threw a one-hitter, striking out 13 for the Falcons (3-2 CCC).

Atwater scored both runs in the third inning as Brittany Massa (3 for 4) doubled to lead off and scored on a double by Mahy. Megan Escobar drove in Mahy with a sacrifice fly.

Paytin Mercado tripled in Buhach Colony’s run in the fifth inning.

This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 7:50 PM with the headline "Madilyn Nickles fires perfect game for Merced."