Thomas Pannone on his perfect game: 'Felt like God was on my side'

Thomas Pannone, a 32-year-old pitcher in professional baseball, recently achieved a rare feat in his 13-year career. In a Class AAA Nashville game against the Durham Bulls on September 7, Pannone pitched a perfect game, a rarity that has only occurred five times in the 142-year history of the International League.

Pannone's perfect game came as a surprise, as it was on a Monday, a normally off day in minor league baseball, due to the Labor Day holiday. Manager Rick Sweet explained, "We had a strange travel arrangement – played a noon game (Sunday), jumped on a flight at night, which we don't do very often, and flew here and had a 5 o clock game."

Pannone arrived at the ballpark early and struggled to find a place to rest. Despite this, he felt great in the lead-up to pitching. His pre-game bullpen was sharp, and he even considered bunting the slider but ultimately relied on his fastball, sinker, cutter, and four-seam pitches.

Pannone's performance was impressive, as he breezed through the fourth and sixth innings, and only walked one batter. He was able to keep his focus on the task at hand, avoiding eye contact with opponents and his coaching staff. The Sounds' manager, Rick Sweet, celebrated his 74th birthday while watching Pannone pitch.

After nine innings, Pannone had struck out 27 batters and allowed only one run. His perfect game was a testament to his hard work and dedication to the sport, even at the age of 32. Pannone recalled, "It just felt powerful and I believed in it, too."