WEST CALDWELL- Dan Vybihal had retired the first 10 Livingston batters he faced in Monday afternoon’s game while needing just 37 pitches to do so which made it 10 1/3 no-hit innings including the first no-hitter of his high school career in last week’s win at Verona.
Then it became a more challenging top of the fourth inning vs. the Lancers as the Chiefs’ junior right-hander finally gave up a hit when Livingston’s best hitter, DH Nick Mullin delivered a one-out single.
What followed were three straight deep counts including a full count hit by pitch and a walk to load the bases with just one out.
It was time for Caldwell’s ace to settle things down once again which he did, recording a clutch full-count strikeout before inducing a fielder’s choice ground out to conclude a strenuous but successful 32-pitch inning, and also snuff out what would be the one and only scoring opportunity of the afternoon for the Lancers.
Vybihal (4-0) finished a workmanlike 85-pitch, 5-inning 3-hitter with one walk, a hit by pitch and seven strikeouts, while his teammates took care of business at the plate capped by a dominant 6-run fifth inning to invoke the mercy rule and end the contest for a 10-0 Chiefs victory in the Super Essex Conference crossover contest on a beautiful and sunny 70-degree spring day at the Bonnel diamond.
The triumph also marked the 100th-career win for sixth-year head coach Ryan Smith, who has guided the Chiefs to a pair of North 2, Group 2 state sectional titles (in 2022 and 2024) during his first five seasons at the helm.
For his Caldwell team (13-1) it was another impressive performance by a Chiefs diamond squad that appears to have all the ingredients – solid starting pitching, strong defense and a potent and very opportunistic lineup – in order to make deep runs in both the 93rd Greater Newark Tournament and upcoming NJSIAA Group 2 state tourney.
Vybihal, who along with winning his fourth game without a loss, and has allowed just 14 hits in 28 innings with 37 K’s, is also the Parisi Fairfield/Sideline Chatter Athlete of the Week.
His composure on the mound – which has been there all through the first month of the season- was never more in evidence than in the challenging stretches of the top of the fourth when he reached down for a little extra and recorded the outs he needed to have.
“I got deeper in counts there than I would like, and perhaps some close calls didn’t go my way, but I was still confident in myself and didn’t let the moment get too big when the bases were loaded with just one out,” he said. “I’ve been in similar spots in my past three starts and I just try to bear down and throw strikes when I have to have them.
“I actually thought all my pitches were working together better than in the no-hitter when I threw mostly fast balls. Today I was able to throw my curve and change-up for strikes and also use my 4-seam and 2-seam fastballs effectively.
“I pitched a lot more this past winter to build myself up than I had the year before and I think that off-season work has really helped me this season.
“This team has a lot of talented guys and I’m just looking to do my part when I’m out there while trusting my defense, which has been outstanding!”
