Big fifth powers Jay (04/24/06)

Having lost four of their last five and back-to-back home games the Patriots had to get a victory Saturday. Thanks to a huge fifth inning, they did.

Jay County scored six times on just three hits in the fifth, rallying for a 10-7 victory over the Marion Giants.

“Well, we needed that win,” said JCHS coach Jack Wood, whose team is now 5-7. “Marion hit the ball and hit the ball hard. They really battled. They hit the ball really well.

“To our kids credit, we didn’t give up. We kept our heads in there.”

The Patriots led 3-2 after the opening inning, but fell behind as a Stephanie Shafer home run keyed a four-run third for the Giants. Marion remained on top 7-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth before Jay County roared back.

Shae Keller started the rally by drawing a walk off reliever Hannah Shafer, and Amber Champ reached base on an error. Trisha Champ followed with an infield RBI single, her second hit of the game, and Amber Champ scored on a wild pitch. Chelsea DeBoy tied the game, hitting an RBI ground out to bring Trisha Champ to the plate.

Morgan Locke got the offense going again with the second walk of the inning, and Miranda Betz followed with her second hit — a single to left field. Locke scored when Saffron Redwine reached base on an error, Betz came in on a ground out by Erica Murray and Danielle Jackson brought Redwine home with a single to left.

Jay County had half as many hits as runs in the inning and finished with just six hits on the game. But it took advantage of Marion errors along with seven walks.

Trisha Champ finished with two runs and two RBIs, Keller, Amber Champ and Betz each scored twice, and Murray drove in a pair of runs.

“She started missing a little bit and we were able to sit back,” said Wood of Shafer, who took over just four batters into the game after starter Taylor Fones couldn’t find the strike zone. “We had a few key hits there in that fifth inning.

“If you look up and down, we had several people contribute. We had the leadoff through No. 7 hitter that scored. It was a team effort today.”

Marion (2-7) lost despite a season-high 14 hits, which prompted coach Amy Miles to hold a long team meeting near the right-field fence after the game.

The Giants repeatedly gave away base-runners, including a strange play to end the game. In the top of the seventh inning they had the bases loaded with just one out and the top of the order coming up.

Khala Miller hit a one-hopper to DeBoy at shortstop, and she tossed to third for the first out. All the Marion runners froze on the play, and third baseman Morgan Locke then threw to second to complete an easy game-ending double play.

The visitors also repeatedly tried to run on JCHS catcher Trisha Champ, who gunned down would-be base stealers for the first out of the first, fourth and sixth innings.

“I don’t know,” said Wood when asked why teams continue to try the tactic. “Here lately they seem to think they can steal, and when Trisha is on there’s nobody who is going to steal on her.”

Keller earned the win as Marion scored seven runs — five earned — on 14 hits and two walks. She struck out two batters.

Just two of the seven runs given up by Hannah Shafer were earned. She had four walks and three strikeouts, and Fones gave up three runs on three walks and a hit without retiring a batter.

Katie Clouse and Katie Smith each had three hits to lead Marion, and Ashlee Shook added two. Stephanie Shafer had three RBIs — all on her home run — and Amanda Johnson and Smith each scored twice.[[In-content Ad]]