By RYAN LOMBARDI
oleanstarsports@gmail.com
OLEAN — It had been quite some time since Olean’s Austin Miles last played in a game.
Miles suffered a torn ACL and meniscus on the very first play of his senior football season. After seven months of recovery, the Huskies’ right-hander finally returned to the mound on Wednesday night.
He didn’t just come back.
He made a statement in his return.
Miles threw six no-hit innings, striking out 11 and retiring the final 14 batters he faced, leading Olean to an 8-0 win over Silver Creek. Taylor Teachman handled the seventh, sealing the combined no-hitter and capping a dominant night for the Huskies’ staff.
“It felt great,” Miles said. “I mean, I love to play. Anything I can — I always want to be on the field whenever I can be.”
There were questions entering the night — not about talent, but about timing.
Even the Huskies head coach Les DeGolier admitted he had some uncertainty with Miles making his first start back.
“He’s been working really hard to come back, and even in his bullpens and live stuff, he’s really been dialed in,” DeGolier said. “So I was feeling pretty confident, but you always wonder, right? First game back, it’s been a long time. How’s he gonna react? Is that leg going to tire out quickly?”
Those concerns didn’t last long.
Miles worked through some early control inefficiency, but once he found his rhythm, he was nearly untouchable. After the first two innings, he settled in and dominated, generating consistent swing-and-miss.
“I felt like my fastball was just grooving,” Miles said. “I was throwing hard, and my slider was working really well. I was just getting a lot of swing and misses.”
From the dugout, DeGolier saw the same progression.
“His first two innings weren’t as efficient,” DeGolier said. “But the last four, he finally settled in, dialed things in, was efficient and used his defense a little bit. I mean, I couldn’t really ask for a better first start.”
Miles needed just 86 pitches to get through six innings — an efficiency that stood out just as much as the results.
“I told him, ‘Get me through five,’” DeGolier said. “He got through six. Probably could have done seven if we wanted to push it, but he was efficient.”
A mid-game rain delay lasting over an hour added another layer of uncertainty, but Miles handled that, too — staying loose and coming back even sharper, striking out 5 straight batters after the delay.
“I didn’t really get cold,” Miles said. “Came back outside, felt good and just went out there and shoved.”
Behind him, Olean’s offense wasted no time providing support.
The Huskies erupted for five runs in the first inning, piecing together quality at-bats rather than relying on one big swing — something DeGolier emphasized.
“It was just the next guy up,” he said. “Base hit, get a walk in the middle, steal a bag, another base hit. It was really cool to see. Honestly, it’s a good thing when you can’t think of who had the big days at the plate.”
Olean added three more runs as the game went on, continuing to apply pressure throughout the lineup. Miles helped his own cause as well, finishing with two hits and an RBI.
“It felt great to hit back-to-back and drive each other in,” Miles said. “We’ve got a lot of guys, and we’re all good friends.”
Even in innings where the Huskies didn’t score, the approach remained consistent.
“I felt like we were still hitting the ball hard,” DeGolier said. “Sometimes in baseball, you just hit it right at guys.”
In the end, the performance reflected something deeper than just a strong outing on the mound.
“I would just say the confidence in each other,” DeGolier said. “One through nine, I feel like everybody can do damage in the lineup, and I think today was evidence of it.”
For Olean, it’s a statement win early in the season — and a reminder of what the team looks like at full strength.
“He’s obviously a huge piece of our team,” DeGolier added. “Honestly, it lets me breathe a little easier after that start.”
For Miles, it’s something even bigger.
After months of rehab, setbacks, and waiting — he’s back.