Up to that point, the freshman had allowed no hits to the opposing players from Suffolk University, and she wasn’t about to let a shot at greatness slip away.,Emerson women’s softball pitcher Lynn Herman stared down the competition in the batter’s box in the top of the fifth inning last Thursday, on the verge of the best performance of her collegiate career.

Up to that point, the freshman had allowed no hits to the opposing players from Suffolk University, and she wasn’t about to let a shot at greatness slip away.

Herman promptly finished the game in style with three consecutive strikeouts to secure the first no-hitter of her Lions career.

“It was a nerve-racking feeling,” the broadcast journalism major said. “But my catcher called great pitches and the defense made great plays to get the outs.”

Herman had a few rough outings in her transition to college ball this season, racking up a 1-2 record with a 7.74 earned run average in nine appearances, which includes the no-hitter.

Last Thursday, though, everything clicked for the right-handed hurler, allowing her to shut down the opposition.

Herman said that she also received a great deal of help from her defense, with her teammates cleanly fielding every ball that Suffolk put into play.

“We have a very solid defense,” Herman said. “When the ball is put in play, they can make the plays. We have some great, talented girls.”

Emerson softball Head Coach Phil McElroy is no stranger to witnessing no-hitters, having seen two in back-to-back games last year by current junior Angela Jorgensen and graduate Heather Drobiarz.

McElroy said he noticed around the fourth inning that Herman had a shot to become the third Lions pitcher in two years to accomplish the feat.

“It was the hardest I’ve ever seen her throw, and it was one of the warmest days we’ve had,” McElroy said. “Being a freshman, she got that out of the way in her career already. Hopefully, it will help her build more confidence.”

Herman said that while she was aware of how well she was throwing at the time, she tried not to think about it during the contest.

“Around the second or third inning I thought, ‘All right, no one has a hit so far,'” Herman said. “But I just put it in the back of my mind and tried to just keep throwing my game.”

Although it was her first no-hitter in college, the Suffolk game was not the only time that Herman has accomplished the feat. She said she has thrown a few before while playing travel ball, a program she has been involved with since she was nine years old.

Herman said that she has been around the game of softball since she was able to walk, watching her two older sisters play when she was younger.

Off the field, Herman said she has enjoyed her broadcast journalism classes so far at Emerson.

She said that once she graduates from Emerson, she hopes to secure a position working on-camera as a sideline reporter for a major sports network like ESPN.

When the game was over and Herman sealed the deal on her accomplishment, there was little question which player would receive the game ball during the team’s post-game talk on the outfield grass at the Field at Rotch Playground.

“Coach had the game ball and he threw it to me, and he congratulated me on the no-hitter,” Herman said. “It was exciting.”