By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
Jesse Remington spent most of the last three summers pitching in an Independent League in California, hoping to catch the attention of a major league affiliate.
His plan to return to the West Coast in 2020 was thwarted by the coronavirus pandemic, which shut down the summer leagues.
Instead, the Gifford native stayed in central Illinois and was welcomed home by the amateur baseball team he helped win a championship in 2013.
On Sunday, the 6-foot-3 left-hander became the first three-game winner this summer in the Eastern Illinois Baseball League, throwing a nine-inning no-hitter against Paxton in Buckley.
A Rantoul High School graduate, the 27-year-old Remington allowed two base runners – the first on an error in the seventh inning to break up his perfect game – as the Royal Giants topped Paxton 2-0.
He struck out 12 and walked no one. In his three E.I. outings this season, Remington has yielded seven hits in 20 innings, while registering 30 strikeouts and walking only two batters.
Remington received all of the offensive support he’d get when Jake Cribbett drilled a two-run single in the seventh inning.
Cribbett’s single was one of three hits the Giants managed against Carver.
Royal completed the sweep with a 13-3 triumph in Game 2.
Asher Bradd sparked a 10-hit attack by collecting three hits in the nightcap, including a three-run homer. Hayden Cargo delivered two hits.
Royal concluded play in the abbreviated regular season with a 6-0 record, the first E.I. team to finish the year unbeaten since the league was formed 85 years ago.
No previous league champion, however, played fewer than 13 games in the regular season.
The Giants will have the No. 1 seed for the postseason tournament, which starts on Sunday at Buckley.
Royal manager Tim Dillman said it doesn’t matter if there is an asterisk next to the record because, “with the team we’ve got, I would have loved to have played a full schedule.
“I think we could have run the table.”
There was no lack of interest among players this summer. Last Monday night – when Royal traveled to El Paso for a makeup doubleheader – 17 players made the trip.
“Everyone who was there got to start one game,” Dillman said. “I’ve been mixing up the lineup.
“I can give our veterans a rest in Game 2 and not have a drop-off.”
Against Paxton, the Giants had 16 players in uniform.
“I’m almost two-deep at every position,” Dillman said. “We could play three nights a week, if we wanted to.
“The pitching has been excellent and I’m super-happy with my players. We don’t have very many holes.”
Dillman said the Giants won’t be overconfident when the tournament starts.
“Every team has a good, quality starter,” he said. “Carver is as good of a pitcher as the E.I. has had in the last 15 years.
“In a tournament, where it’s one-and-done, you have to be at your best or get knocked out.”
The last two weeks, Carver has lost twice in well-pitched games where he received no offensive support. The previous setback was 1-0 against Buckley when he threw a two-hitter.
Buckley clinches No. 2 seed
The Dutch Masters ran their winning streak to four games by winning twice on Sunday at El Paso.
After Buckley won the opener 22-2 in a game shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule, the home team forfeited the second game.
In the opener, El Paso used 10 players. Buckley had 14 players take the field.
Buckley is 4-2 overall and earned the No. 2 seed in the upcoming four-team postseason tournament.
Andrew Erickson belted two doubles and drove in four runs for the Dutch Masters. Jay Eshleman connected for three hits.
Eshleman had a triple and three RBI. Teammate Nate Walker scored three runs and added a three-run double.
Josh Krumwiede, Drew Schrodt, Eshleman and Erickson also scored three runs apiece.
Andrew Zenner pitched a complete game for Buckley, striking out six batters and scattering six hits.
El Paso took a 2-0 lead against Zenner in the first inning, and maintained its advantage until the Dutch Masters had consecutive eight-run innings in the third and fourth frames.
El Paso and Paxton are each 0-4, but have a doubleheader to make up from a rainout two weeks earlier.
