MILWAUKEE- Sometimes it is not how you start but rather how you finish. After losing a heart breaker in Game 1 of a doubleheader Thursday night, Milwaukee Rufus King senior Jake Spence threw a no-hitter to shutout Milwaukee Bradley Tech, 6-0 Game 2 of Milwaukee City Conference Gold Division action.

You would have never guessed Spence was going to throw a no-hitter after the first inning. Spence walked the first two batters but would get out of the inning.

“To be honest, I really did not know that I had not given up a hit until about the sixth inning,” said Spence, who retired the last 15 batters he faced. “I just tried to mix up my pitches to set up my two seem fastball.”

Bradley Tech (8-2 conference, 11-3 overall) came into Thursday’s action tied for the City Conference lead with Milwaukee Hamilton. The Trojans received honorable mention in this week’s Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association Division 1 poll.

The Generals (6-3, 6-5) gave Spence a lead in the first inning after outfielder Milton Childs knocked a two out single that scored a pair of runs.

“That was huge for us to get an early lead after losing the way we did in the first game,” said King senior shortstop Terry Schliepp.

King surrendered a two-run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning after breaking a 6-6 tie in the top half of the inning.

“It was really disappointing to lose in that fashion,” said Spence. “We told the guys we can not change the past so let’s win this game.”

The biggest difference between the two games was the improved Generals defense. In the first game King committed four errors, including three in the seventh inning which led to three runs and the loss. King committed no errors in Game 2.

“For as long as I have been here we have preached to just make routine plays and just keeping it simple for the guys,” said King coach Tom Wozniak. “Our goal is to take two of three games against Hamilton, Tech and (Milwaukee) Riverside and we can still do that.”

King got an RBI double from senior Evan Crossman to push their lead to 6-0.

“We are playing really well right now and guys are stepping it up a notch at the right time,” said Crossman.

Tech’s Anthony Thompson allowed just three earned runs and striking out six through seven innings but just could not get any run support.

MILWAUKEE KING………………..…….202 020 0-6 9 0

MILWAUKEE BRADLEY TECH………000 000 0-0 0 3