By Ryan Miller

SCARBOROUGH, ONTARIO The Cougars got their healthy share of Oates today as they faced the second-year ace in the second game of their back-to-back against the Centennial Colts. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Nielson Park as the Colts looked to series sweep the Cougars in their second game. A still young program early in their development, the Cougar struggled all day to get on base. After going hitless in their first game, the team seemed eager to get on base and do damage. Unfortunately, they facing one of the OCAA's best pitchers, Liam Oates. In his first season, Oates was one of the top pitchers in innings pitched, wins and earned runs, while earning the Colts' first no-hitter in program history.

After escaping the first inning with only one run scored, the Cougars' defence followed up with a long second inning plagued by errors. The errors would be compounded by savvy baserunning from Owen Nichols and Riley Briggs, who both ended the game with three stolen bases a piece. The Colts would go on to tack on five runs in the second. First-year pitcher Owen Daynard was chased from the game in 3rd with after he allowed another run, making the score 7-0 after three innings. Oates on the other hand, looked like he was already in mid-season form. The Brampton native was dealing straight gas, ringing up 7 strikeouts through 5 innings with no walks or errors.

The Colts would eventually end the game early by scoring runs in the 4 and 5 innings to go up 10-0 and secure the victory with mercy rule in effect. With 0 hits, 0 Walks and 0 errors it was a perfect outting for Oates, making it the first perfect game in Colts History. Speaking with Oates after the game about his second no-hitter/perfect game he said, " I just go after hitters, plain and simple. [It] doesn't matter who's up, when I'm feeling my stuff, I know guys can't touch me. You saw what just happened."