2nd in Olympic

Not too long ago the Patriots went nearly two weeks without playing a game, then dropped a double-header to Northrop and were staring at a 4-8 record. Now they've won six in a row and are the conference runners-up.

Jay County High School's baseball team secured the No. 2 spot in the Olympic Athletic Conference Wednesday, defeating the Muncie Southside Rebels for the second straight night. This time on their home field, the Patriots racked up eight runs in the first two innings on the way to a 12-6 victory.

They won 11-0 in five innings at Southside Tuesday.

"I think it goes back to us getting a chance to play," said JCHS coach Lea Selvey, whose team went 11 straight days without a game because of weather cancellations earlier in the season. "The kids are getting in a rhythm a little bit."

The Patriots (10-8, 3-3 OAC) jumped on Southside again after Trey Dunn reached base on an error to open the game. Nathaniel Brown and Colton Lombardo, who hit two home runs Tuesday, added singles in the two-run inning.

The Rebels (10-9, 1-5 OAC) pulled even in the top of the second inning, but Jay County responded in a big way.

Andre Duke's one-out walk started a run of six straight batters who reached base. Dunn followed with a double, and Brown was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Phil Powell drove in two runs with a double to left-center field, and Billy Wellman smacked an RBI single to center to bring home Brown. A sacrifice fly by Lombardo and a single from John Pettus brought Powell and Wellman to the plate, and Willie Mayfield, who drew a walk, scored on a wild pitch.

"We obviously gave up too many runs early," said Southside coach P.J. Fauquher. "We tried to continue to battle throughout the game. ... It was just too much for us to overcome.

"(The Patriots are a) pretty good, as always. They're a good-hitting team. They've had good starting pitching the last two nights. ... They're hard to beat."

Brown keyed two-run innings for JCHS in its final two at bats. He had an RBI triple to right field in the fifth, and came back again with a triple to right-center in the sixth.

The junior finished 3-for-4 with three runs.

"The thing was, he just went with the pitch. He found a hole," said Selvey. "He's quick enough that he ought to think double every time out of the box."

Dunn had an RBI and three runs in five interesting at bats. He had a double, got hit by a pitch, reached base on an error and had a sacrifice fly.

Powell drove in three runs with two hits, including a double, and Wellman and Michael Daniels each had a pair of hits.

Dunn went the distance for the win, giving up six runs - five earned - on eight hits and three walks. He struck out 10 batters, including at least one in every inning.

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He also benefited from some great defense by Mayfield, who made a long stretch to snag the throw to first base to record the final out on a ground ball by Southside's Nick Hollowell. The junior picked several other throws out of the dirt to help his defense Wednesday.

"Oh my God," said Selvey. "Willie has saved us. He's our infielders' best friend. It's immeasurable how many errors he has saved us and bases he has saved us.

"It gets to be routine. ... You take it for granted."

Hollowell had three hits, including a double, two runs and a stolen base for Southside before grounding out to end the game. Jamil Smith added a single, a double, two RBIs, a run and a stolen base.

Coty Reynolds started and took the loss as he gave up eight runs - six earned - on six hits and two walks in just 1 2/3 innings.

Junior varsity

HARTFORD CITY - Jay County's first and only run came in its last at bat Wednesday in an 11-1, five-inning loss to the host Blackford Bruins.

The Patriots gave up four runs in the first inning and never recovered. Dusty Rodgers gave up 11 runs on seven hits and five walks as he suffered the defeat.

Rodgers was also responsible for the only JCHS run as he hit a solo homer in the fifth. Other hits for the Patriots came from Anthony Robbins, Ryan Miskinis, Jordan McBride and Justin Ellis.[[In-content Ad]]