Nehemiah Wilson pointed at Ryan Mooney as he walked off the mound. The two will forever share a unique piece of South Hadley baseball history.

Two days after Mooney threw a no-hitter against Belchertown, Wilson matched the feat in the Tigers’ 11-0 win over Hopkins Academy, Thursday in Hadley.

“We were both hyped after the game,” Wilson said. “He said ‘Back-to-back baby.’”

Matt Foley has been the Tigers’ coach for 21 seasons. This was a novelty for him, too.

“I’ve coached a long time and I’ve never had two no-hitters in a row. It was great,” he said. “Nehemiah walked a few guys in the first couple innings and then really pulled it together. He pitched a really good game. He’s been really good all year.”

Wilson tiptoed around six walks, while striking out seven in the gem. He issued four of those passes in the first two innings before settling down.

With four games next week, Foley had planned on taking Wilson out after the fifth, especially with the big lead. But like he did Tuesday, Foley scrapped that plan.

“It was the second straight game where our plan was to bring in a relief pitcher in the fifth inning,” he said. “But they forced my hand. I couldn’t take them out.”

When Wilson told shortstop Chance Almonte earlier in the day that he was going to throw a no-hitter after Mooney’s gem on Tuesday, it probably sounded more like comedy than prophecy. But the senior was locked in, mixing his curveball with his two- and four-seam fastballs.

Despite his playful prediction, he wasn’t focused on it.

“During the game I really wasn’t thinking about it. I was just thinking about going out there and doing my thing,” said Wilson, who thought a 7-0 lead after two innings took the pressure off. “I could throw more of my off-speed stuff and work around in the zone.”

Foley said the early leads in both games led to a more casual approach.

“It was a very laid-back no-hitter. We were talking about the no-hitter. In the seventh inning, there’s always that ‘I have a no-hitter’ nervousness where you don’t want to give up a cheap hit,” he said. “But leading up to that they were both just pitching their game and not making a big deal of it. Both games we had a comfortable lead. Certainly that changes the feel. You can make a mistake and you’re only giving up a hit.”

Wilson benefited from strong defense behind him and steady work behind the plate from Braden Fogarty, who caught both no-hitters.

“Braden is kind of new to catching. He started last year in JV and caught all summer,” Foley said. “He’s doing a really good job back there. He’s not worried about no-hitters. He’s just focused on doing his job back there.”

Mooney went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs.

Wilson, who gave the ball from the final out to his father after the game, said he was proud of the accomplishment.

“That was awesome to have,” he said.

The streak is at 14 hitless frames.

The pressure goes back to Mooney now. He’ll take the ball against Greenfield on Monday to kick off a four-game week. Foley didn’t want him thinking about three-in-a-row.

“I just want him to pitch a good game,” Foley said.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com.

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