Big 1st key for JC

The Patriots scored more runs in the first inning Tuesday than they did in their first three games combined last season. That was too much for the Starfires to overcome.
Each of the first eight Jay County batters reached base as the home team scored seven times in the first inning on the way to an 8-6 victory over South Adams.
“What impressed me was I thought we came ready to play,” said JCHS coach Doug Arbuckle, whose team scored just six runs in its first three games a year ago. “In the first inning, Rachelle (Jackson) got off to a good start … and struck out two batters, and then we came to bat and jumped on them … and made some things happen.”
Jackson and Catherine Dunn drew back-to-back walks to set the table for Lexie Gierhart in the first inning, and the Jay County clean-up hitter delivered with an RBI single to center field. Nikka Chaney followed by getting behind in the count 0-2, but then slapped a two-run single to right field.
Another single from Katie Aker and a Taylor Franklin walk loaded the bases for Abbey Vance, who came through with a single to right field to bring Chaney and Aker to the plate.
Chelsea Tighe added a third two-run single to right field to extend the lead to 7-0 before South Adams pitcher Alyssa Bluhm finally got out of the inning.
“It was good that we came out with seven runs in the first inning,” said Chaney, one of the team’s two seniors, who finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs. “It’s a bit of a shame that we only scored one more the rest of the game. Coming out with a good lead is always good …”
“It got my momentum going,” said Jackson, who struck out the first two batters she faced and sat down the first five in order. “I was pumped up.”
South Adams (0-1) fought back with four runs in the fourth inning keyed by RBI singles from Loren Sparks and Alexis Ford. It tallied another two runs in the fifth with Lilly Taing smacking an RBI double to right-center field.
“If you take the first two innings out of it, my word,” said SAHS coach Jessie O’Dell. “And they could say the same thing (about a few innings). ... Usually at the beginning of the season it’s going to be who makes the least amount of mistakes …
“We have three freshman starting and a sophomore, and we had some freshman mistakes. But we even had some upper classman with some first-game jitters. I told the kids it looked like we were making nervous mistakes the first part of the game. … We kind of collected our breath and played a much better game.”
But the Starfires were unable to overcome the early deficit against Jay County, which scored its only other run in the fourth inning, as Jackson came up big late.
After giving up a single to lead off the sixth inning, the junior induced a couple of ground-ball outs and a pop up to shortstop Katie Aker to escape the inning. She struck out two batters in the final frame, including Taing on a change-up for the final out.
Jackson got the win as only one of the six runs against her was earned. She struck out eight batters and did not allow a walk.
“In the middle innings there they kind of got on her … but she came up there in the sixth big and then also in the seventh with two strikeouts,” said Arbuckle. “I was real pleased with that effort that she fought back and battled through that.”
Tighe went 3-for-4 at the plate for the Patriots with two RBIs and two stolen bases. Vance had a walk, a hit, a run and two RBIs before leaving the game with an injury in the fourth inning.
Sparks, a freshman, went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run to lead South Adams.
“As a freshman she came in and had some nice hits for us,” said O’Dell. “She had a big two-out hit (in the fifth inning).”
Bluhm took the loss, allowing eight runs on 11 hits and six walks. She struck out eight batters.

Junior varsity
Jay County fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning, but scored seven times in the bottom of the frame in a 10-4 victory.
Randi Auker went 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs to lead the Patriots in the three-inning win. Takoa Knight and Kai-Li Baughman each had two runs, one hit and one RBI.
Knight got the win as she struck out five batters in three innings. She gave up four runs on four hits and five walks.


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