Bluffton defeats Patriots with 3-hit shutout (05/01/08)

BLUFFTON - The Tigers scored three times in the first inning. And that was enough.

Bluffton kept the Jay County High School softball team's bats quiet Wednesday, handing the Patriots a 3-0 defeat.

Two of the three Tigers runs in the opening frame were unearned as JCHS (9-6) missed a chance to put together its second three-game winning streak of the season.

Tiffany Davis took the loss for the Patriots, giving up the three runs on just three hits and a walk.

She struck out five batters in seven innings.

The lone hits for JCHS came from sophomores Kayla Phillips, Shelby Gierhart and Pazia Speed.

Junior varsity

The Patriots rallied with a run in the top of the sixth inning and two in the seventh to take a 5-4 victory over Bluffton.

Brittany Mann, working her way back from an injury, ripped a triple in the seventh inning, driving home Erika Bruggeman with the winning run. She finished 3-for-4 to lead Jay County.

Kyli Kelso, Kendra Younger, Erica Burggeman and Caitlin Gilbert each added a single and a run.

Selena McKibben picked up the victory in relief of Younger, striking out two batters in two scoreless innings.[[In-content Ad]]