Sydney Garrett put on an all-time performance in the circle against Emmanuel University, pitching five no-hit innings to seal a Bobcat victory on March 31.
Garrett sealed the 15th no-hitter in program history and the first no-hitter for GCSU softball since March 7, 2015, on a day in which Marissa Boyette and Cassidy Rice combined for a five-inning no-hitter against Fort Valley State University.
“I honestly wasn’t aware I was throwing a no-hitter until the 3rd inning,” Garrett said. “Once I realized it, my main goal was to stay within myself and control the controllables because, at the end of the day, that’s all I can do.”
The victory extended the Bobcats’ winning streak to three games, which later reached 11 in a row. In the contest, Garrett threw forty-four pitches, and alongside the run-rule victory, the time of the contest ended in an hour and 19 minutes.
Besides the pitching aspect of a no-hitter, having a good defense behind you is essential to claiming history. Based upon Defensive Runs Scored data from FanGraphs, a reputable statistics tracker for Major League Baseball, the average DRS per lineup over the last 10 no-hitters is around 3.85 or an average of 12.8 based on seasonal data. Defensive runs saved help explain how important a great defense can be in a no-hitter, and the higher the DRS, the better.
Every no-hitter is always a team effort, and the Bobcats softball team has made the third fewest errors in the Peach Belt Conference.
“Something no one sees is the constant grind that the defense puts in every day at practice,” Garrett said. “I continue to trust the girls behind me because I know how hard they work and how they stay hours after practice just so they can perform and show up for the team. I have such a strong trust in the defense because I know they will give me their all, and of course, I give them mine.”
The senior from Chickamauga, Georgia, has been the glue for the rotation on the team, able to start a game and show consistency through each inning of her starts, or come out of the bullpen and shut down an offense. In the Peach Belt Conference, Garrett leads the saves category, coming into the game in relief so often with 15, with the next closest at 2.
During the season, Garrett has pitched to an earned-run average of around 2.00, even dipping below it at times, which is elite. Garrett stands fourth in the conference rankings in earned-run average with 2.15, fourth in opposing batting average at .214, and fourth in strikeouts with 74.
Garrett credits both her dad and her coaches for her success and for her ability to throw unhittable pitches.
“I’ve been able to have unhittable pitches this season because I put in the work to be better for not only myself but for my team,” Garrett said. “I’m constantly watching film of myself to fix things to be the best version of myself. When I’m home, I am the person to go throw with my dad for two or three hours and work through things. What motivates me most is showing up for my team and for the coaches who have given me this opportunity.”
When coaching a player throwing a no-hitter, making the decision to take the pitcher out of the game can become difficult. Many pitchers even argue with coaches to stay in the game, but Garrett makes the decision easy for GCSU softball head coach Brittany Johnson.
“Syd is one who likes to take it pitch by pitch,” Johnson said. “She has a high standard for herself. So it doesn’t matter who she’s playing, she wants to play and pitch her best, and I feel she really executed that day.”
Garrett has continued to perform well for GCSU since her no-hitter, with her best performance since then coming against Clark Atlanta University on April 7, when she pitched seven innings of one-run softball, striking out six.
GCSU’s season starts to enter the tail end, as they approach their final 11 contests. Only two non-conference games remain, including their upcoming doubleheader against Fort Valley State University on Tuesday, April 14, in Fort Valley, Georgia.
