June 9, 2008

Florence, S.C. - Mercyhurst redshirt junior Steve Grife became the third Mercyhurst pitcher in three years to throw a no-hitter for the Florence Red Wolves in the Coastal Plains League, shutting down the Fayetteville Swampdogs Sunday. The Coastal Plains League is a wood bat summer league in the southeastern United States that attracts many players from ACC and SEC schools.

Grife, who came up one out short of a perfect game for Mercyhurst in 2007, threw his first career no-hitter and finished with 12 strikeouts and four walks. He improved to 2-0 in the summer league.

"He was absolutely phenomenal today," Florence coach Wes Davis was quoted as saying on the team's web site. "Steve lived up to every expectation we had today. His fastball and curveball were definitely on."

Grife's performance was the first no-hitter in the Coastal Plains League this year but, remarkably, is the third consecutive season in which a Mercyhurst pitcher has thrown a no-hitter for Florence. John Mang did the job in 2006 and Brian Espersen pulled off the feat just one day before the Major League Baseball Draft in 2007, propelling him to an 18th round selection by the Houston Astros.