GREENWOOD – A no-hitter is every starting pitcher's dream and Daniel Hinchberger is growing accustomed to near-misses.
Last Friday, against No. 29 ranked Augusta State University, the Lander senior took a no-hitter into the ninth inning before allowing a single to the second batter.
Hinchberger said he has taken around a half-dozen no-hitters into the last inning at the high school and junior college level and now at Lander, only to lose them.
"They (the first hit) have all come in the last inning. I haven't thrown a no-hitter yet. Hopefully it will come soon," Hinchberger said after the Bearcats beat Anderson University 7-6 at Legion Field Monday night.
For his efforts, the 6-foot-7 right-hander from Philomath, Ore., was named Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week.
Hinchberger said he wasn't aware that he hadn't allowed any hits until late in Friday night's game.
"I was looking at the scoreboard the whole game," he said. "But the other team (Augusta) had three errors and I thought that was their hits. I was looking at the wrong number. But I ended up looking there in the seventh or eighth inning and realized that there were no hits up there. I had to keep my emotions in check and just pitch."
The no-hit bid ended when Clay Haynes singled up the middle with one out. Hinchberger walked the next batter, but struck out the next two to close out the 6-0 victory. He tied a Lander career-high with 11 strikeouts.
"It just happened that the ball squeaked through there," Hinchberger said of the hit by Haynes. "That kid was known for pulling the ball. So our coach actually moved our shortstop over two steps into the hole and he ended up going up the middle. If our shortstop stays in the same spot, then he makes the play. But it's not a big deal. A no-hitter would have been nice. But the most important thing is that we won."
David Wilson is the only Lander pitcher to throw a no-hitter, tossing a perfect game against North Greenville in 2003. There have been only four no-hitters in Peach Belt games since the league began play in 1992.
Although Hinchberger came close on Friday, he said he still has room for improvement. He walked five.
"I had some problems with my location that day. I still have a lot of improving to do," said Hinchberger (4-2), who lowered his earned run average to 2.50 and has 52 strikeouts in 57.2 innings.
Hinchberger leads the Peach Belt in opponent's batting average (.198) and is fifth in ERA and strikeouts.
"My main two pitches are my fastball and slider," said Hinchberger, whose fastball clocks in the 80s. "The slider is my out pitch. It always has been. Everybody in the league knows it. My curveball is kind of a get-me over strike pitch. It has improved since the beginning of the year. My changeup is coming along. But I still have a lot of improving to do."
Lander head coach Chris Moore has been impressed.
"Daniel is very effective because of his movement, competitiveness, and overall stuff (sinker, slider, and change up)," Moore said. "His height comes into play as hitters do not have as much time to react and see the pitches. He looked very good on Friday night as he consistently was in the strike zone forcing Augusta State to swing the bat."
Meanwhile, the Bearcats have been improving as a team. After a 4-9 start, Lander is now at the .500 mark both overall (15-15) and in the Peach Belt (6-6).
"We have made tremendous strides," Hinchberger said. "We have a lot of freshmen and we didn't hit the ball all that well the first part of the season. But now that we have some games under our belts, we are starting to hit better. And we are pitching better. Our defense has always been there throughout the whole year and our offense is starting to score a lot of runs. That means we can give up two or three runs and still win the game."
Hinchberger is part of a pipeline of players who have come to Lander from the Pacific Northwest. Others include current pitching teammates Jake Hover (Issaquah, Wash.) and Nathan Roubicek (Castle Rock, Wash.). Hover has two recent starts where he hasn't allowed an earned run while Roubicek is currently out with an injury.
Other players from the Northwest have included James Compo, David Walton, Radley Raven, Kevin Davis and Ryan Brisby. Walton hit .406 for the Bearcats three years ago while Davis is pitching in the Atlanta Braves organization.
"There is a lot of talent in the Northwest," Hinchberger said. "(Former) Coach Mac (Mike McGuire) and Coach Chris Cook recruited all of us. Kevin Davis is a heck of a ball player, going from third base (at Lander) and having not pitched in two or three years, to pitching in the Braves organization. He has done really well.
"If Roubicek's elbow doesn't hurt, he will probably be a starter. We are hoping he can come back this year. He would be a big boost to our pitching squad. Jake has really improved. James Compo, Ryan Brisby, Radley Raven, David Walton, all of those guys are great ball players who come from great families."
Hinchberger's home town of Philomath is just outside Corvallis, home of Oregon State University, in west central Oregon. The Philomath High School graduate was first team All-State in soccer as a goalkeeper, and second team All-State in basketball and baseball.
Not surprisingly, with his height, Hinchberger thought he might have a future in basketball. He played center and even won a slam dunk contest at a Christmas tournament in Alaska.
"During my junior year in high school, I actually wanted to play basketball in college," he said. "When my senior year came around, the Oakland A's were talking about drafting me. Then I thought maybe I can make a career out of this. So I stuck with baseball. I thought it was my best chance to make a career out of a sport that I love."
Hinchberger also pitched in the 2003 American Legion World Series for the Richey's Market team out of Corvallis. The team finished in third place. One of his high school and American Legion teammates (Chris Kunda) went on to help Oregon State win back-to-back College World Series championships and is now playing in the New York Yankees organization. The Beavers will be seeking their third consecutive title this year and Hinchberger is a big supporter.
"It's an awesome feat for those guys," he said of the back-to-back titles. "I have played with some of them. I know most of them. They are great guys, great baseball players."
Hinchberger attended Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Ore., and made second team all-NWAACC (Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges) in 2005 when he was 4-2 with a 0.92 ERA, including a 10-strikeout, one-hitter on May 12 versus Clackamas Community College.
When it came time to transfer, Hinchberger drew interest from a school in South Dakota, a couple from Missouri, and Lander.
"I didn't want to play in the cold weather in South Dakota," he said. "It's hard to pitch in that kind of weather. I pitched in it for 18 years (in Oregon). I wanted some warm weather. Lander was the best choice. It's a great school, a great baseball program, and the Peach Belt Conference is one of the best in the nation. We have five or six teams that are ranked. It's a great conference to pitch in."
The decision has worked out for Hinchberger. He sat out the 2006 season before becoming the Bearcats ace in 2007, posting an 8-5 record, a 3.60 ERA, and 85 strikeouts in 85 innings. He led the team in wins, ERA, complete games (six), shutouts (one) and strikeouts.
Being far from home has been difficult, but family has made the transition smoother. Two summers ago, he married Brittany and the couple is living in Greenwood where she works two jobs. She is from Corvallis and they began dating while Daniel was in junior college.
"We are a long way from home. But she helps keep my mind on baseball and school," said Hinchberger, who is majoring in physical education at Lander. "Brittany works hard for us to try to support me while I fulfill my dreams. Once I am done with that (baseball and college), I will work and she will go to school and fulfill her dreams."
Daniel's father, Darrell Hinchberger, is a truck driver who was able to make three trips to Greenwood last year and visited during Lander's Spring Break this year. Family is expected again for Senior Day in April when parents Darrell and Ellen, sisters Amber Hinchberger and Deidra Ehlers, and brother-in-law Mike Ehlers might make the cross-country trip.
"My parents have always been there for me. I can't thank them enough," he said.
Hinchberger hopes his name will be called in the Major League Baseball draft in June and that he can continue his baseball career. If not, he and Brittany plan to go back home to Oregon.
"It would be nice (to be drafted). It would be an honor," he said. "But if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I will get my degree and go on with teaching and coaching at the high school level or maybe the college level."
Meanwhile, Hinchberger has much to shoot for during the rest of his senior year. And that is to help Lander qualify for the Peach Belt post-season baseball tournament for the first time in school history. The Bearcats are currently sixth in the league standings and the top six qualify for the tournament. Last year's tournament winner, Columbus State, also won the regionals and went to the Division II College World Series.
"You've got to make it there and anything can happen," Hinchberger said of the Peach Belt tournament. "That's the main goal. We are trying to make history here."
