McDonald’s no-no lifts Team USA

    Cole McDonald was up front and honest; he knew he had a no-hitter going almost the entire time Friday during the World University Games.    But it didn’t stop him from throwing the first nine-inning no-hitter by a University of Iowa pitcher in more than 50 years as Iowa, which is serving as Team USA during the Games, blanked the Czech Republic 8-0 in a “Super Round” game  that took place Friday night in Taiwan.    “Everything was working for me last night,“ McDonald said in an e-mail interview Saturday. “I could basically throw any pitch I wanted to on any given count. I felt like I had the hitter off balance most of the night. It honestly didn't feel any different than some of my starts that I've had throughout the summer.”    And after two more wins — both of the comeback variety — the Americans for the first time ever found themselves in the gold medal game that was played against Japan early Tuesday morning.
    More on the story may be found in the Aug. 29 Tribune.