June 21, 2007

Greenville, S.C. - By: Ann Green, The Greenville News

Furman University's Jay Jackson is too old to write a "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" essay come September when he's back in class.

But he'll have plenty to tell his fellow Paladins on the baseball team. Jackson can exercise some justly deserved bragging rights because of the no-hitter he recently pitched in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.

Jackson, pitcher/outfielder for the Delaware (Ohio) Cows, went in the team record book Sunday with a seven-inning no-hitter, the second in the history of the team and the first since 1993.

He helped the Cows post a 1-0 victory over Xenia's Athletes in Action in the second game of a doubleheader swept by the Cows.

Jackson was selected league player of the week in recognition of his 2-0 record in 9" innings pitched with 10 strikeouts and an .091 opponent's batting average.

Cows coach Bruce Heine was full of praise for Jackson, the former Christ Church Episcopal baseball and basketball standout and a sophomore at Furman.

"I have been coaching the Cows for nine years, and we have two pitchers in the major leagues," Heine told the Delaware Gazette. "So we have had some good ones here. However, I told the guys after the game, in my time here, that was the single-most dominating performance we have ever had."

Jackson said in a telephone interview Wednesday that he's getting used to a tough level of competition and to wooden bats.

"There are a lot of good ballplayers up here," Jackson said. "There're kids from Ole Miss, LSU, Notre Dame, Indiana, Cincinnati and Ohio State."

His goals this summer are to "get looked at a little bit, have fun and play against good ballplayers."

For the Taylors resident, it's his first extended trip from home since he chose to attend college at Furman. He stays in touch by phone with his family, including sister Jasmine, who has Down syndrome and is one of his biggest supporters at Furman games. He's hoping the family can catch make a trip to the Midwest and catch a few of his games in July.

Jackson pitched a perfect game in high school, so he's acquainted with the feeling.

Asked what he remembers from his latest no-hitter, he said, "I was really nervous my last inning. I was shaking because I knew it was possible. But it was my team more than anything that helped me through."