COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M junior pitcher Ryan Hendrix was honored by USA Baseball on Wednesday for the ‘2015 International Performance of the Year’, recognizing his effort in a combined no-hitter against the Cuban National Team.
The Cypress, Texas native played on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team over the summer along with teammate Nick Banks. During the first of a five-game series against Cuba, Hendrix and two other pitchers held their opponent hitless, marking the first time ever the Cubans have been no-hit in international competition.
Hendrix was on the mound for Team USA to earn the save and clinch the no-hitter which had been started by fellow SEC pitchers Tanner Houck (Missouri) and A.J. Puk (Florida). Hendrix worked a perfect ninth, capping USA Baseball’s third-ever no-hitter.
“It was really cool to be a part of it,” Hendrix said. “In the bullpen, I didn’t realize we had a no-hitter going. Then in the ninth inning, when I got out on the mound, I realized it was happening. Cuba is known for their baseball, so it’s surreal to think that I was a part of the first-ever no-hit against them.”
USA Baseball, the national governing body of the sport, recognized the no-hitter as 2015 USA Baseball International Performance of the Year, naming Houck, Puk, and Hendrix along with their battery mate Chris Okey (Clemson) as the recipients of the award.
Hendrix led the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team with three saves last summer.
Last season, Hendrix pitched in 23 games for the Aggies as a sophomore, logging a 6-4 record with five saves and a 3.66 ERA. He registered 69 strikeouts in 59.0 innings. In his 18 games out of the bullpen in 2015, Hendrix was 5-2 with five saves, a 0.73 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 37.0 innings.
Hendrix earned Preseason All-America honors from D1Baseball.com heading into the 2016 campaign.
The Aggies begin the 2016 campaign on February 19 with a three game set against Hofstra on Blue Bell Park on Olsen Field.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics