Another quick win for Jay (04/23/07)

The field had been raked, the bases removed. The post-game talk was finished.

Jay County players were walking to the parking lot, some of them discussing their plans for the prom.

Meanwhile, the Anderson Highland Scots were still in the outfield, running sprints under their coach's supervision. Needless to say, it was a good day for the home team.

The Patriots scored six times in the first inning Saturday and finished off Highland in five, recording a 12-2 victory in their Olympic Athletic Conference baseball opener.

They chased starter Kyle Buck after just one-third of an inning, tagging him for six runs - three earned - on three hits and two walks.

"The kids have been hitting the ball the last two nights in practice as well as we've hit it all year," said Selvey of his offense, which has racked up three wins by the mercy rule. "I still think we're going to see the kids hit even better than they are right now. They have a lot of confidence in themselves."

After giving up an unearned run in the top of the first inning, Jay County (4-1) wasted little time in getting it back, and more, in the bottom.

Josh Selvey knocked a one-out single to right field and was the first of six consecutive Patriot batters to reach base. Josh Ludy and Thomas McCowan followed with consecutive walks, loading the bases for Andy Hughes.

The senior hit a fly ball deep to the gap in left-center field, only to have center fielder Jake Millikan run under it. But Millikan mis-played the ball as it flew just over his mitt allowing Selvey and Ludy to score.

Tony McCowan made the error hurt with an RBI single to center field, and Rhett Retter sliced a two-run double down the left field line.

With two outs and Retter on third, Aaron Bogenschutz, who had just two previous at bats, smacked the first pitch he saw to left field for an RBI single and a 6-1 Patriot lead.

Jay County was in a similar situation a year ago, leading Highland 7-3 with just an inning to play before falling 8-7. But the home team never showed any signs of faltering Saturday.

"This group is a totally different group than last year," said Selvey. "Even though it's a lot of the same players, they've grown up a lot. They're totally different in their approach. ... There is a lot more belief that they're going to win."

Part of that belief comes from having Michael Jobe on the mound.

Jobe gave up a walk-off home run in the loss to the Scots a year ago, but has been virtually un-hittable this year. The junior gave up just two hits, and both runs scored against him were unearned.

He allowed two walks as he improved to 3-0.

In three starts this year, Jobe has surrendered just a single earned run for a 0.41 ERA. His eight strikeouts Saturday lifted his total to 23 Ks in 17 innings.

"Michael Jobe is a workhorse," said Selvey. "He's going to start turning into a bona fide stud. ... It looked like he got stronger as he went.

"He's quick, and when he gets that curve going, it's a pretty nasty curve.

"He is such a competitor. He is not going to give in to anybody anywhere."

His teammates gave him plenty of support, scoring three more runs in the second inning and four in the fourth.

No. 7 and 8 hitters Retter and Casey Waters led the effort, each driving in three runs. Retter finished with the double, a stolen base and two runs, and Waters finished with two hits and scored once.

Tony McCowan scored three times, and Ludy and Hughes added two runs apiece. Bogenschutz, a senior, picked up his first hit of the season and drove in two runs.

"That's a really good day for him," said Selvey of Bogenschutz, who made his first start of the season at designated hitter because of an ankle injury to Luke Goetz. "You never know when an opportunity is going to arise. That's part of having a good team. ..."

Brady Roundtree had a leadoff double to start the game for the Scots, and scored one of its two runs. Taylor Hopkins singled, and Jake Millikan scored the other Highland run.

In addition to Jobe's work on the hill, his defense made several outstanding plays in the field.

The first came in the second inning as Thomas McCowan, the shortstop, went deep into the hole between short and third and threw out Kaleb Ogden by a half-step.

In the fourth inning second baseman Josh Selvey cruised back into right-center field and made a leaping catch on what seemed like a sure single on a looping liner by Taylor Hopkins. He then tossed to first to double off Trevor Humes to end the inning.[[In-content Ad]]