Granger Strikes Out 16 Straight in Win

Michele Granger made one mistake Wednesday, then proceeded to strike out the next 16 batters and pitch a no-hitter.

After hitting the leadoff batter, Granger broke the tournament record for consecutive strikeouts while leading the Orange County Majestics to a 2-0 victory over The Anti’s of Peoria, Ill. The victory advanced the Majestics to the fourth round of the losers’ bracket in the Women’s National Fastpitch Tournament in Pekin, Ill.

Granger, a graduate of Valencia High School, opened the game by hitting Lisa Cantor, who then stole second.

“It was stupid, I never hit people,” said Granger, who earned her third victory of the tournament. “I’ve maybe hit one batter a year the last three years and now I’ve hit three in the last two weeks. This one was pathetic. It was a changeup that skimmed the lip of her helmet. It was stupid.”

The Anti’s didn’t hit a ball into play until the sixth inning. Granger faced 22 batters, one over the minimum, and struck out 19.

The 16 consecutive strikeouts broke the tournament record. Bertha Tickey of Raybesto’s Brakettes (Conn.) struck out 11 in a row in 1968.

“They announced that I had broken the record and someone had told me I was close,” Granger said. “But I never keep track of those things. I just pitch.”

The record was not a personnel high for Granger, who struck out 21 in a row as a junior at Valencia in 1987.

Granger has not allowed a run in 23 innings during the tournament. The Majestics managed only three hits Wednesday, but two came in the second inning. With one out, Suzie Graw doubled and Janice Parks followed with a home run.

The Majestics, 49-11 on the season, will play the winner of Jefferson City (Mo.) and the Twin City Jammers (Minn.) today.

The Anti’s finished the season with a 56-15 record.