JERSEYVILLE - Darren Perdun captured his 100th win this week as head Jersey baseball coach and on the same afternoon, pitcher Daniel Wiliams tossed the first ever no-hitter for his club.
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On Tuesday, Jersey blanked Bunker Hill 10-0 in five innings at Jersey High School. The Panthers won again 11-1 on Thursday against Alton Marquette for Perdun’s 101st win.
As always, Perdun took things in stride and said he thought of all the players who helped get him to 100 wins when he learned it had happened.
Perdun picked up 20 wins at Griggsville before coming to Jersey, so now he has more than 120 wins in his baseball coaching career.
“I just enjoy seeing the kids grow and develop,” Perdun said. “When they come back and talk to you and ask how the season is going, it shows they still care about the program and have ownership in it. The main thing is being around the kids and watching them grow and develop as baseball players and as men.”
Perdun said he feels “very fortunate” to been able to serve as baseball coach at Jersey, which is his alma mater. He said Ken Schell, the man the Jersey field is named after, was a huge influence on him and his coaching style.
“A lot of the things Coach Schell taught me I try to teach our kids,” Perdun said.
Jersey and Perdun are a bit “old school” he said because many of the athletes play multiple sports, something he and the other Jersey coaches seem to completely endorse.
The important thing for Perdun is to teach the kids life lessons as much as developing them as stellar baseball players.
“Most kids who play high school baseball don’t play in college, so it is important to teach them life lessons to carry on,” he said.
As far as young Williams, Perdun said he had quite a game against Bunker Hill. Williams now is 2-1 with a 2.80 ERA.
“I can’t remember a hard-hit ball all day,” he said of Williams against Bunker Hill. “He only had two walks all day and we made an error or two but he was almost flawless. He throws multiple pitches for strikes and that is the key to his success. He has a bright future ahead.”
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