A Connecticut high school junior achieved a rare feat on Saturday, pitching a perfect softball game with all 21 outs by strikeouts, according to The Westerly Sun.
Stonington High’s Andrea Chiaradio became the second softball pitcher in Connecticut high school history to pitch a perfect game while striking out all 21 batters, with Rachele Fico holding a national record of having previously thrown 26 perfect games during her four-year career, the paper reported.
“This was my first no-hitter in high school,” Chiaradio told the paper. “I probably was aware of it in about the fifth inning... I tried not to think about it and not to psyche myself out. I just concentrated on getting the rest of the outs.”
Chiaradio faced the 21 batters in seven innings, allowing no hits – not even a fair ball – and no walks. The opposing team has won four previous games and are 4-4 for the season.
Coach Ann-Marie Houlle said the team became aware that sometime unusual was happening in about the third inning.
“That’s unheard of. It’s historic. I was tearing up a little at the end when she got a standing ovation,” Houlle told the paper.
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