No-no for Gambone

Salem CC right-hander pitches his first no-hitter since high school, maybe Mighty Oaks’ first ever, in 18-2 rout of Delaware County CC

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT — Jon Gambone has been on a long road back from multiple surgeries to return to the mound. It wasn’t that Friday night marked the end of the comeback trail, but it was a pretty good sign he’s moving in the right direction.

The big right-hander threw his first no-hitter since high school — four years ago — and maybe the first in Salem CC history after he fashioned a seven-inning gem in the Mighty Oaks’ first win of the season, 18-2 over Delaware County CC.

Gambone threw 82 pitches, mostly fastballs and sliders, to get through the Phantoms. He allowed only three base-runners — an infield error in the third, an outfield error in the fifth and two on errors and a full-count walk in the seventh — and faced only two batters over the minimum. He struck out 10.

It was a stark contrast to his first two starts when he had trouble finding the zone. Both lasted only three innings – 42 total batters – and yielded 13 hits, seven walks and 15 runs (10 earned). He did bring it back somewhat in his next two innings in the opener, but not in his second start against Brookdale, which he admitted had him down on himself.

“Honestly I did not see that coming at all,” Gambone said. “Actually I didn’t even I was throwing today. Found out when I got here that I was throwing, then had to get myself mentally right and then just went out there and did the best I could do.

“I don’t know how it happened, I just went out there. I tried not to think about it, too, throughout the whole game because I knew I had a no hitter. And nobody was talking to me. I knew that’s why it happened, too, because no one said the words.”

Mighty Oaks head coach John Holt couldn’t remember a no-hitter in his tenure with the team and neither could volunteer assistant John Green, the former head coach, in his. In addition to the 10 punch outs, Gambone got seven ground ball outs and three fly outs.

Gambone threw a five-inning no-hitter against Pilgrim Academy his senior year at Gateway (2021). He also was credited with a five-inning one-hitter against Woodbury as a sophomore. He’s since undergone a series of surgeries, including hip and Tommy John, that has kept him off the mound until this spring.

“It’s something,” Holt said. “For him coming back off of surgery and all the work that he’s put in, it’s well deserved. He works very hard. I’m happy to see the success he had. It’s been a long road for him to get back and … he’s starting to find his rhythm a little bit.”
 
The gem was the fourth no-hitter Salem catcher Angel Velez has caught in his career. He knew the pitcher had it in him.

“Gambone’s always good,” Velez said. “He goes out there and gives all he’s got every time. He doesn’t leave any in the tank.”

Actually, there was some uncertainty if Gambone would draw the start Friday. It originally was going to Jared Vandersteur, but then Holt got to thinking about the team’s upcoming trip to Florida, potential matchups there and who needed what time to recover and decided to give the ball to Gambone. Besides, the 6-4, 230-pound sophomore has been the Mighty Oaks’ regular Friday starter and the decision allowed Holt to keep that routine intact.

The Mighty Oaks (1-5) had been on the other side of games like Friday in each of their first five starts. This time they led wire to wire. Delco starter Hunter Whitten did keep their hitters off-balance early with breaking pitches, but they finally broke it open with six runs in the fifth and buried the Phantoms with nine in the sixth.

They had extra incentive for this one. They were miffed at the way Delco small-balled them to death in the sixth inning of a game Salem was leading 24-3 late last season and were anxious to show their displeasure Friday.

The tension was palpable, but Holt downplayed the revenge factor.

“We were just playing baseball,” he said.

The series concludes with a doubleheader at Delco Saturday before the Mighty Oaks fly off to Florida early Sunday morning.