Patriots crush Union City

The game was so lop-sided that Lea Selvey had his players stop taking extra bases, stealing and advancing on wild pitches and passed balls in the second inning. And then he cleared his bench in the third.

His Jay County High School baseball team sent 27 batters to the plate in the first two innings Tuesday as it clobbered the visiting Union City Indians 18-1 in five innings.

Nathaniel Brown led off the bottom of the first inning with a single to left-center field for the Patriots (5-6) and then stole second base. The team did most of the rest of its damage thanks to walks.

Ben Vance, Willie Mayfield, Michael Daniels, Ryan Miskinis, Andre Duke and Brown, in his second plate appearance of the inning, all drew free passes. Adam Daniels had the only other hit on an infield single, and two other batters reached base on errors as JCHS grabbed a 7-0 lead.

Seven of Jay County's batters went to the plate twice in the second inning as it scored 11 more runs on just four hits before Selvey cleared the bench.

"It's a chance to get some kids in and get them some time," said Selvey of using the game to prepare some of his less experienced players for possible playing time in the future. "You never know down the road (what is going to happen) ... later in the year."

Eric Homan picked up the win for the Patriots, striking out five batters in five innings. He allowed just one hit, a single to Tyler Mote, in the first four innings before Union City got to him for its only run with two hits in the fifth.

"He's had a little bit of a sore arm and a little bit of bad luck," said Selvey of the senior, who is back with the team after not playing during his junior season. "This was just a game where he could go out and pitch and relax and throw some strikes. And he did a nice job."

Adam Daniels followed up his single in the first inning with an RBI double to right-center field in the second. He finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs.

Selvey said he wasn't sure what to think when Daniels, a first-year player as a senior, decided to come out for the team. But he said one of his other players and JCHS boys basketball coach Craig Teagle gave Daniels glowing reviews.

"They were 100 percent dead on," said Selvey. "He's been a great kid to have around. He's had a positive influence on all of us. It was nice to see him get in and get a couple hits."

Miskinis singled, walked twice and was hit by a pitch as he scored twice and drove in two runs. Ben Vance finished 2-for-3 with two runs.

Michael Daniels scored three teams, Jon Pettus, Mayfield, Homan and Brown all added two runs and Andre Duke had a pair of RBIs.

Mote suffered the loss for Union City, giving up seven runs - two earned - on two hits and six walks in one inning. Jordan Loesch allowed nine unearned runs in one-third of an inning.[[In-content Ad]]