Twice As Perfect

Florida Christian throws back to back perfect games

By Nathan Rode
February 27, 2009

Editor's Note: Story updated on Monday, March 2.

Miami's Florida Christian High had performances for the record books this week and could extend the feat on Saturday. Florida Christian has thrown back to back perfect games, even though the team's ace is not scheduled to throw until Saturday.

Against Clearwater, Fla.'s Palm Harbor High, junior lefthander A.J. Salcines threw a perfect game as the Patriots rolled to an 11-0 victory. The game was shortened to five innings because of the mercy rule, but going into Florida Christian's half of the fifth inning it was 4-0. They scored seven runs and walked off with a three-run home run from senior catcher and North Carolina State signee Danny Canela.

Salcines, who is entertaining offers from formidable Division I programs, worked off of an 86-88 mph fastball and mixed in a curve, cutter and change. He struck out 10 in the outing.

Bryan Radziewski

On Thursday, Bryan Radziewski took the hill against Somerset Academy (Pembroke Pines, Fla.). Also a junior lefthander with a fastball, curve, cutter and change, Radziewski threw Florida Christian's second consecutive perfect game.
Radziewski worked off of an 88-90 fastball to strike out 10 batters in another five-inning game as the Patriots won 12-0.

"I've been involved with no-hit shutouts," head coach Ernie Padron said. "This blows my mind for two juniors to do this. They were throwing well. They had everything going for them."

Radziewski was a member of the USA Baseball's 16U National Team that took the gold medal at the Pan Am games in Veracruz, Mexico.

On Saturday, righthander Felix Roque started against Krop High (Miami). Roque is No. 100 on the Baseball America High School Top 100 list and is committed to N.C. State.

The perfect game was lost in the third inning on a throwing error, but Florida Christian was one out away from a combined no-hitter when a single snuck through the middle. Roque had been removed after reaching his pitch limit. The hit ended a streak of 19 hitless innings the Patriots had recorded.

Through their first five games, the Florida Christian pitching staff had struck out 58, walked only eight and allowed just two earned runs.

The National High School Sports Record Book has record of three players throwing consecutive perfect games individually, but nothing on the most consecutive for a team.