Jay slams Indians

This is what Doug Arbuckle was expecting all along.

The Patriots racked up 13 hits Tuesday, including two home runs. Five more of those hits were doubles.

With the exception of one inning, they played lights out defense.

And Brittney Watson turned in the pitching performance of her career as the Jay County High School softball team rolled over the Fort Recovery Indians 8-1.

Arbuckle, the JCHS coach, said during the preseason that he thought his team could win 20 games this year. Instead it struggled through the first month of the year with just three wins, two of which came against Muncie Southside.

But the Patriots played their best game of the season against the Indians, who entered with a 10-10 record.

"Fort Recovery is a well-seasoned team," said Arbuckle. "They had played 20 games already. It was a good accomplishment for our girls to step up here and beat a quality team."

For the Indians, the game marked another difficult day at the plate. They scored just one run in dropping both games of a double-header Saturday to Arcanum, fell 1-0 Monday to Marion Local and then managed just a single hit against JCHS.

"We're not hitting at all," said Fort Recovery coach Marie Osterholt. "I think they're thinking about it too much and it's all in their head. I don't know how to get it out of there.

"They're swinging at high pitches. They won't lay off of them. ... We've got to have more discipline up there."

Watson retired the side in order in the first inning. And after a couple of errors, including one on a fly ball lost in the sun, allowed a run in the second, the Indians couldn't touch her.

The senior sat down the final 16 batters she faced, seemingly getting stronger as the game went along. She finished with six strikeouts - three in the sixth inning - and gave up just a hit and a walk.

"One of the things we've been having trouble with is ... throwing too many pitches," said Arbuckle. "I stressed to her to go right after them tonight, to get ahead ... and let her defense try to help her behind her. I was real pleased with that pitching effort tonight out of Brittney."

With the exception of the second inning, the Patriots played outstanding defense behind Watson.

Shortstop Kendra Younger recorded six put-outs, and freshman center fielder Lexie Gierhart made an outstanding catch running toward the fence in center field on a line drive by Carly Staugler.

Younger and Gierhart were also the big guns offensively for Jay County, each smacking a home run. Younger hit a solo shot to center field to tie the game at 1-1 in the second inning, and Gierhart launched a tow-run shot over the left-field fence as part of the Patriots' three-run fourth.

Gierhart also laid down a perfect bunt for a single in the first inning, and doubled as JCHS scored three times in the third inning. She finished 3-for-3 with a walk, two runs and two RBIs.

Younger was 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. Nikka Chaney added a pair of doubles, and Rachelle Jackson also had two hits.

"Kendra is really sitting back and driving the ball," said Arbuckle. "And Lexie has also gotten comfortable in the No. 2 spot ...

"We did a lot of hitting yesterday ... went back to some basic stuff. ... There were some little mechanical things that we really needed to work on and hadn't had much practice for a while. We got back on it, and it showed tonight. The girls hit the ball hard."

The lone Fort Recovery hit came in the second inning, with Janelle Schwieterman delivering an RBI single to left field. The Indians had five runners on base thanks to two errors, a fielder's choice and a walk, but were only able to come away with a single run.

Andi Sutter took the loss for the Tribe as Jay County had at least two runners on base in every inning. All but one of the runs against her was earned.

"Jay County, they hit the ball really well tonight," said Osterholt. "They had a lot of power."

Osterholt noted the difference in pitching distance - 43 feet in Indiana as compared to 40 in Ohio, which will make the change to the longer distance next season.

"I know this was the first time Andi ever pitched from 43 feet, and it made a big difference for her," she said. "But she'll have to get used to it. We're going there next year."[[In-content Ad]]