Morse Pitches First Strike in Sox No Hitter

BOSTON (May 19) - There was electricity in the air at Fenway Park Monday night as the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team's Michael Morse (Duxbury, MA) threw out the first pitch in what would become the first no hitter of the season as the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 7-0.

"It was unbelievable to see a no hitter and to throw the first pitch at that game was pretty special. It was an added bonus," said Morse. "I think I threw a strike... I think. It was over the plate."

As a Massachusetts native, Morse, who won the national moguls and dual moguls titles at the 2008 Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships, said it was a special honor to be asked to throw out a pitch in Fenway Park.

"I am a huge Red Sox fan. I grew up just south of Boston and have lived in the area for 22 years, so it was awesome to be able to throw the first pitch for the Sox," said Morse, who walked to the pitcher's mound with videos of his winning national's runs playing on the big screen. "When I won nationals, I mentioned wanting to do it and one day I got a call that said, 'we'd like you to throw out the first pitch' and I said yes."

While the stands were full of Red Sox fans eager to see their team win, the freestyle skier turned pitcher for the night had a group of his own fans in attendance.

"We had about 50 seats set aside for friends and family so my friends from around here that I haven't seen in a while came and most of my family still lives in the area so they came out as well," Morse said. "A bunch of people from Killington Mountain School - the headmaster and old coaches - also came to watch me."

Though his first pitch strike could have signaled another calling in his life, Morse plans to stick with moguls. He heads to the Team's second summer camp the end of May in Colorado where he will put on his ski boots and prepare for the coming winter's World Cup competitions as well as the 2009 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships, the biggest competition outside of the Olympics, in Inawashiro, Japan, March 2-8.

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