By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

The St. Joseph Flyers started the season with a big hit and a no-hit.

Justin Mahlmeister pitched six no-hit innings and slugged a three-run homer as the Flyers gave coach Brent Wirzfeld a win in his debut by beating the New Boston Tigers 4-1 on Monday.

Mahlmeister struck out 17 of the 18 outs but he did walk seven. Joseph Payton pitched the seventh inning and struck out one as he recorded the save.

“Justin dominated when he was one. He lost some of his control in the fifth and sixth innings,” said Wirzfeld. “Payton came in and pitched well.”

Payton doubled and scored when Cole Willis reached on an error to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

After New Boston got a run in the third with the aid of a Flyer error, Hunter Pemberton — who stole four bases — and Payton walked in the bottom of the fifth inning and Mahlmeister crashed a three-run homer with no outs and it was 4-1.

Payton and Mahlmeister each went 1-2 and Chris Lewis was 1-3 as St. Joseph had three hits.

The Flyers visit Fairview, Ky., on Tuesday.

New Boston 001 000 0 = 1 0 1

St. Joseph 100 030 x = 4 3 1

Trey Branham, Spicer (4), Moore (60 and Nate Payton. Justin Mahlmeister, Joseph Payton (7) and Hunter Pemberton. W-Mahlmeister (17-K, 7-BB). Save-Payton (1-K, 0-BB). L-Spicer. 2B-St. Joseph: Joseph Payton. Hitting-St. Joseph: Joseph Payton 1-2, Justin Mahlmeister 1-2, Chris Lewis 1-3.