July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
JCHS blasts Knights
JCHS softball
JCHS blasts Knights
Everything came together for the Patriots Thursday.
Each player in the batting order got a hit or scored a run, highlighted by Danielle Wellman's homer. And the team turned in its best pitching and defensive game, playing error free as Rachelle Jackson carried a no-hitter through five innings.
The combined effort earned the Jay County High School softball team its first home win of the season by a 10-1 score over the visiting Norwell Knights.
"It feels good, and I know it feels good for the girls. We've been struggling," said JCHS coach Doug Arbuckle, whose team had suffered two-run losses this week to Daleville and Huntington North. "I'm real proud of them they way they hung in there. We've had two tough games this week ... so for them to come out there and get this win tonight is a good confidence booster for them. ... I'm proud of the effort they put forth."
Jay County (2-7) was impressive all-around, jumping on the Knights with a two-out rally in the second inning.
Junior Selena McKibben got the Patriot offense going with an infield single, and Nikka Chaney followed with a double down the left-field line. Ranae Ray followed with an RBI double, Laura Castillo smacked an RBI single, Lexie Gierhart singled and Danielle Wellman hit a two-run double to right-center to complete a run of six consecutive two-out hits.
A trio of errors by Norwell (5-5) and a Castillo RBI single to center field extended the lead to 7-0 in the third inning, and then Wellman put an exclamation point on the victory in the sixth.
After Gierhart led off the inning with a single to center field, Wellman hit a two-run blast over the fence in left.
The top three hitters in the order - Castillo, Gierhart and Wellman - totaled six hits, six RBIs and four runs.
"We've struggled a little bit with (hitters) getting on for Danielle," said Arbuckle of Wellman, who finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs. "It's imperative that they continue to get on in front of her. She's going to come through 60 to 70 percent of the time with something."
Gierhart had two hits, two runs and a stolen base, and Castillo finished with two hits, two RBIs and a run. Ray went 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base, and Chaney doubled and scored twice.
"I thought it was key that the (six through nine) hitters got on too for the top," added Arbuckle. "That's what it's going to take.
"Tonight they were a little more patient at the plate. They relaxed and made the adjustments we had talked about ... and hit the ball real hard."
Jackson dominated the Knights' lineup, carrying a no-hitter until Heather Sterrett led off the sixth inning with a single up the middle. She gave up all three hits and the only Norwell run in the sixth before retiring the side in order in the seventh, finishing the game with back-to-back strikeouts.
"We just weren't hitting the ball well," said Norwell coach Scott Hanni. "Eight out of nine players are underclassmen, and they're going to have those kind of games."
Jackson struck out seven Knights in all, including Jalyn Kremer three times, to earn her second win of the season.
Shortstop Kendra Younger helped preserve the no hitter in the fifth, ranging into the hole between second and third base to retrieve a grounder by Katie Runyon and firing back across her body for the out at first.
"Rachelle Jackson pitched a real good game tonight," said Arbuckle. "She was changing her speeds, changing location, keeping them off balance.
"She's hitting her groove I think. ... I'm just real proud of her effort out there on the mound tonight.
"Kendra Younger had an excellent fielding game tonight. She made two real good plays on balls in the hole."
Junior varsity
Taylor Franklin powered the Patriots to a 13-3, five-inning victory over Norwell.
Franklin was a perfect 4-for-4 with a home run to lead off the game. She drove in three runs and scored twice.
She also earned the win as she struck out six batters in four innings. She allowed three runs - one earned - on two hits and three walks.
Paige Alsip added two hits and two runs, and Brittany Miller doubled and scored twice.[[In-content Ad]]
Each player in the batting order got a hit or scored a run, highlighted by Danielle Wellman's homer. And the team turned in its best pitching and defensive game, playing error free as Rachelle Jackson carried a no-hitter through five innings.
The combined effort earned the Jay County High School softball team its first home win of the season by a 10-1 score over the visiting Norwell Knights.
"It feels good, and I know it feels good for the girls. We've been struggling," said JCHS coach Doug Arbuckle, whose team had suffered two-run losses this week to Daleville and Huntington North. "I'm real proud of them they way they hung in there. We've had two tough games this week ... so for them to come out there and get this win tonight is a good confidence booster for them. ... I'm proud of the effort they put forth."
Jay County (2-7) was impressive all-around, jumping on the Knights with a two-out rally in the second inning.
Junior Selena McKibben got the Patriot offense going with an infield single, and Nikka Chaney followed with a double down the left-field line. Ranae Ray followed with an RBI double, Laura Castillo smacked an RBI single, Lexie Gierhart singled and Danielle Wellman hit a two-run double to right-center to complete a run of six consecutive two-out hits.
A trio of errors by Norwell (5-5) and a Castillo RBI single to center field extended the lead to 7-0 in the third inning, and then Wellman put an exclamation point on the victory in the sixth.
After Gierhart led off the inning with a single to center field, Wellman hit a two-run blast over the fence in left.
The top three hitters in the order - Castillo, Gierhart and Wellman - totaled six hits, six RBIs and four runs.
"We've struggled a little bit with (hitters) getting on for Danielle," said Arbuckle of Wellman, who finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs. "It's imperative that they continue to get on in front of her. She's going to come through 60 to 70 percent of the time with something."
Gierhart had two hits, two runs and a stolen base, and Castillo finished with two hits, two RBIs and a run. Ray went 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base, and Chaney doubled and scored twice.
"I thought it was key that the (six through nine) hitters got on too for the top," added Arbuckle. "That's what it's going to take.
"Tonight they were a little more patient at the plate. They relaxed and made the adjustments we had talked about ... and hit the ball real hard."
Jackson dominated the Knights' lineup, carrying a no-hitter until Heather Sterrett led off the sixth inning with a single up the middle. She gave up all three hits and the only Norwell run in the sixth before retiring the side in order in the seventh, finishing the game with back-to-back strikeouts.
"We just weren't hitting the ball well," said Norwell coach Scott Hanni. "Eight out of nine players are underclassmen, and they're going to have those kind of games."
Jackson struck out seven Knights in all, including Jalyn Kremer three times, to earn her second win of the season.
Shortstop Kendra Younger helped preserve the no hitter in the fifth, ranging into the hole between second and third base to retrieve a grounder by Katie Runyon and firing back across her body for the out at first.
"Rachelle Jackson pitched a real good game tonight," said Arbuckle. "She was changing her speeds, changing location, keeping them off balance.
"She's hitting her groove I think. ... I'm just real proud of her effort out there on the mound tonight.
"Kendra Younger had an excellent fielding game tonight. She made two real good plays on balls in the hole."
Junior varsity
Taylor Franklin powered the Patriots to a 13-3, five-inning victory over Norwell.
Franklin was a perfect 4-for-4 with a home run to lead off the game. She drove in three runs and scored twice.
She also earned the win as she struck out six batters in four innings. She allowed three runs - one earned - on two hits and three walks.
Paige Alsip added two hits and two runs, and Brittany Miller doubled and scored twice.[[In-content Ad]]
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