Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CROWN CITY — Michael Mahlmeister wasn’t perfect, but he came close.
Mahlmeister pitched a five-inning no-hitter and just missed a perfect game as the St. Joseph Flyers blasted the South Gallia Rebels 21-0 on Wednesday.

The Flyers’ junior right-hander threw 49 strikes among just 72 pitches in fashioning his gem. He struck out 10 and only a walk to Scotty Murphy with two outs in the third inning was the difference in a no-hitter and a perfect game.
Mahlmeister also went 2-3 at the plate with a double and two RBI.
“Obviously, Mahlmeister pitched really well. The threw strikes and at times overpowered them,” said Flyers’ coach Greg Bryant. “We got to play a lot of kids and we got a lot of hits.”
St. Joseph (15-5) banged out 16 hits led by freshman Brady Medinger who went 3-for-3 with a double and three runs batted in.
Jimmy Mahlmeister was 2-5 with three RBI, Jackson Rowe 2-2 with two RBI, Drew Brown 2-2 and an RBI, Blake Stuntebeck 1-1 with a double and two RBI, Elijah Rowe 1-2 with two RBI, J.C. Damron and Matt Sheridan each went 1-3 with two RBI, Max Weber 1-2 with a double and Jacob Salisbury had an RBI.
It didn’t take long for the Flyers to get the scoring started as they pushed across four runs in the first inning.
Jimmy Mahlmeister and Jackson Rowe were hit by pitches, Stuntebeck walked and Elijah Rowe had an RBI single. Michael Mahlemister hit a sacrifice fly, Salisbury was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Medinger drilled a two-run double.
The lead went to 13-0 in the second inning as the Flyers scored nine runs.
Damron, Jackson Rowe and Stuntebeck all walked and Elijah Rowe was hit by a pitch for a run. Michael Mahlmeister hit another sacrifice fly and Salisbury grounded out for an RBI.
Medinger singled home a run, stole second and scored on Sheridan’s base hit. Jimmy Mahlmeister reached on an error and Damron singled home two runs.
Jackson Rowe was hit by a pitch and Stuntebeck had a two-run double to cap the rally.
St. Joseph scored three more runs in the third.
Michael Mahlmeister singled, Salisbury was hit by a pitch, Medinger singled to load the bases and Sheridan was hit by a pitch to score pinch-runner Matt Heighton. Jimmy Mahlmeister hit into a fielder’s choice for a run and Jackson Rowe singled home the final run.
Weber doubled to lead off the fourth, went to third on a ground out and scored on a hit by Brown. Heighton reached on an error and Jimmy Mahlmeister singled for an RBI. Darryn Harvey was safe on an error as Heighton scored and Jackson Rowe singled home the fourth run to make it 20-0.
The final run scored in the fifth when Michael Mahlmeister doubled, Browns singled and Jimmy Mahlmeister had a two-out RBI single.
The Flyers host Portsmouth Clay at 5 p.m. Thursday in the final Southern Ohio Conference game.
St. Joseph 493 41 = 21 16 0
South Gallia 000 00 = 0 0 5
Michael Mahlmeister and Blake Stutnebeck. Alex Oram, Marshall Beegle (2) and Scotty Murphy. W-Mahlmeister (K-10, BB-1). L-Oram (IP-1.0, H-2, R-6, ER-6, K-1, BB-4, HB-3). Beegle (IP-4.0, H-14, R-15, ER-8, K-4, BB-1, HBP-5). Hitting-St. Joseph: Jimmy Mahlmeister 2-5 3-RBI, J.C. Damron 1-3 2-RBI, Jackson Rowe 2-2 2-RBI, Blake Stuntebeck 1-1 2B 2-RBI, Elijah Rowe 1-2 2-RBI, Max Weber 1-2 2B, Michael Mahlmeister 2-3 2B 2-RBI, Jacob Salisbury RBI, Drew Brown 2-2 RBI, Brady Medinger 3-3 2B 3-RBI, Matt Sheridan 1-3 2-RBI; SG: None.