GASTONIA, N.C. – Jake Miednik threw the second no-hitter in Gastonia’s franchise history on Monday, becoming the first one to accomplish the feat individually.
Miednik tossed a gem through seven innings in Game 1 of Gastonia’s doubleheader against Hagerstown, leading the Club to a 3-1 victory at CaroMont Health Park.
Miednik must be an early riser, as he shined in a game that featured the earliest start time of the season for Gastonia – 11:05 a.m.
The southpaw retired the first nine batters he faced, inducing six groundouts and striking out three the first time through the Flying Boxcars order.
Miednik allowed his first baserunner to start off the fourth – a walk issued to Andrew Moritz. After a fielding error was charged to third baseman Cam Williams on a ground ball that he booted, Moritz was able to score while Welington Dotel wrapped into a 5-4-3 double play.
Miednik was through four hitless innings, but his team trailed 1-0.
The southpaw got run production in the bottom of the frame, as Cam Williams and Brandon Martorano each hit their second home runs of the season off right-hander Domenic Picone. Martorano’s homer came on a special day for him as well, catching for Miednik in the historic game.
Over the remaining three innings, Miednik allowed just one baserunner – a walk he dealt to Osmy Gregorio to start off the seventh.
Miednik then retired Dotel and Nellie Rodriguez before facing Blake Berry in a lefty-lefty matchup.
At 12:43 p.m. Miednik delivered a first-pitch curveball that Berry skied down the right-field line. Eric De La Rosa ran in and toward the line, got there in plenty of time and made the catch to etch Miednik’s name in history. Miednik’s teammates mobbed him on the mound, jumping in unison to celebrate.
Miednik’s final line read:
7.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Miednik spun the first individual no-hitter in Gastonia’s franchise history. There was one previous no-hitter for Gastonia – a combined no-no on July 27, 2022. Gastonia defeated Lexington 11-0 at CaroMont Health Park in a game that featured pitchers Rogelio Bernal (5.0 IP), Euclides Leyer (2.0 IP), Quinton Torres-Costa (1.0 IP) and Sam Bordner (1.0 IP) combining to no-hit the Legends.
Miednik’s achievement on Labor Day was the seventh individual no-hitter in the Atlantic League, becoming the first since Robert Stock last season with Long Island. Stock was Miednik’s teammate on the 2023 Team Israel roster for the World Baseball Classic.
The Coral Springs, Florida native attended Florida Atlantic University and was drafted by Cleveland in 2018. Miednik pitched in the minor leagues for Cleveland and Seattle before making his way to Gastonia in 2023.
After starting the 2024 season in the Gastonia bullpen, Miednik transitioned to join the rotation, where he has thrived. Through 32 appearances, including six starts, Miednik is 5-1 with a 2.50 ERA. The southpaw has issued 29 walks and has struck out 50, owning a team-best 1.13 WHIP.
Miednik is just the seventh player in the 26-year history of the Atlantic League to throw an individual no-hitter, and the second lefty. It was the first no-hitter by an ALPB pitcher since right-handed Robert Stock shutdown Southern Maryland on July 18, 2023. The only other lefty to toss a no-hitter was Lenny DiNardo who beat Long Island 9-0 on May 8, 2013.
Additionally, Miednik, at 28, is the youngest player to throw a no-hitter in league history and his 97 pitches stand as the fewest needed in a no-hitter.