Eagles out-hit Jay

The Patriots were able to overcome a two-error first inning. But they couldn’t slow down Delta’s bats enough to stick with the visiting Eagles in the final three.
Delta took the lead for good with a six-hit, six-run fifth inning Thursday and pulled away to hand Jay County a 14-8 defeat.
The Eagles racked up 14 hits, more than a third of which went for extra bases.
“I felt like offensively we were in there. We just couldn’t find a way to get them out,” said JCHS coach Lea Selvey. “Give them credit. They’re talented.
“They hit the ball well. They’re probably as good a hitting team as we’ve seen.”
A pair of errors led to an Austin Conway three-run home run for Delta in the opening frame, but Jay County (8-8) fought back to take a 6-5 lead with a five-run bottom of the fourth inning.
The Eagles were ready to respond.
Senior shorstop Alex Maloney, who is headed to play at Ball State University next season, led off the top of the fifth inning with a walk, and Rob Fox followed with a single to center field. JCHS starter Landry Inman struck out Conway for the first out of the inning, but Skyler Brand hit a dribbler to the left side for an infield single and the next five Delta batters all reached base as well.
Jared Tomlin had the key hit of the inning with a two-run single to right-center field.
“I was hoping we would step up,” said Delta coach Terry Summers, whose team evened its record at 9-9. “When a team scores like that … we’re obviously trying to go out there and get those runs back. That was big for us, a big inning.
“We had a lot of guys step up at the plate. We had some guys really hit the ball tonight. … We hit up and down the lineup.”
Half of the Eagles’ hits came from the final three batters in the order, with Tomlin going 3-for-4 with two doubles, three runs, two stolen bases and two RBIs. David Smekens added three hits, two RBIs and a run, and Trey Bland had a hit, a run and an RBI.
JCHS wasn’t able to mount a comeback late as Delta scored once in the sixth inning and three times in the seventh.
“We rallied and came back (in the fourth inning),” said Selvey. “If we come out the next inning and put a zero on them, we might win.  “But we didn’t … and the next thing you know we’re looking at (four-run deficit).”
Landry Inman took the loss, allowing 10 runs — seven earned — on 10 hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.
Tavis Rattray picked up the win as he tossed 2 1/3 innings of relief for the Eagles. The Delta pitching staff struck out the Patriot No. 2, 3 and 4 hitters a combined seven times.
Conway finished off the game with back-to-back strikeouts in a one-two-three seventh inning.
“He needed a little time on the mound,” said Summers of Conway, who will pitch for Indiana State next year. “He needed a little fine-tuning. That was about perfect.”
Kyle Selvey had two hits, two RBIs and a run to lead the Patriot offense. Toby McCallister and Jason Houston each added a double.
McCallister and Alex Dunn matched Selvey with two hits apiece, Houston had a pair of RBIs, and Chandler Jacks and Inman each scored two runs.


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