Deer Valley’s Ray White throws school’s first perfect game
Article & photo by Luke Johnson
Freshman lefty Ray White achieved a milestone Friday, April 26 when he became the first pitcher to throw a perfect game in Deer Valley High School history.
Twenty-one came up and 21 went down for the Deer Valley freshman squad’s 11-0 win over the Freedom Falcons. The 15-year-old White only needed 75 pitches and five strike outs to complete the challenging feat. Immediately after the last out of the seventh inning the Wolverines swarmed the mound in celebration of White’s accomplishment.
“I have to hand it to my defense,” White said. “They even made the more difficult plays look easy.”
White was referring to center fielder Devin Gould’s sliding catch in the second inning to keep the perfect game intact. White also went 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored to help the team offensively and put one in the win column.
Even with history on the line Deer Valley Head Coach Darren Machado substituted everyone off the bench due to the team’s significant lead.
“The other coaches were excited and were trying to keep the same players in to save the perfect game,” Machado said. “But I was like ‘I know this game is for Ray, but I gotta get players in.’”
Machado and the coaching staff stuck to their superstitious beliefs during the game and did not blurt out the word “perfect” in hopes to keep this opportunity from being jinxed.
“They were making sure I didn’t say anything,” Machado said while chuckling.
One thing that sticks out about White is his maturity and poise on the mound. Even when it gets rough out there he stays calm and levels his emotions. His coaches notice his proficient knowledge for how the game is played along with advance leadership skills.
“Nobody works harder than him,” Assistant Coach A.J. McNally said. “He’s at every practice, and is always helping his other teammates step-by-step at their positions.”
After high school White has strong ambitions to play for a Division I college.
“My wife and I look forward to more great moments,” White’s father Ray White Sr. said. “We are proud of him and are very supportive of him in baseball, and hope he plays until he doesn’t want to play any more.”
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