July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Danielle Wellman didn't let her team's deficit stand any longer than she had to. And when Rachelle Jackson had a chance to deliver the victory, she knew just what she needed to do.
Jackson dropped down a picture-perfect bunt with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning Wednesday to drive in Paige Alsip with the game-winning run for a 2-1 victory over the visiting Adams Central Flying Jets.
The game was tied when Jackson strolled to the plate with runners on first and third with one out in the bottom of the seventh. JCHS coach Doug Arbuckle said the original plan was to have Randa Gillespie - pinch-running for senior Taylor Steed at first base - try to draw a throw and allow Alsip to score from third.
But Jackson suggested a bunt. The top of the JCHS order - Jackson, Lexie Gierhart and Wellman - had noticed earlier in the game that Adams Central first baseman Lindsey McDougall tended to play all the way back near the right-field grass, leaving the first-base line wide open.
Arbuckle gave the go-ahead, and Jackson executed her plan flawlessly. Her bunt rolled just inside the first-base line, leaving the Flying Jets without any opportunity to throw Alsip out at the plate.
"We didn't have (a chance)," said Adams Central coach Cary Blake, whose team is now 11-8. "It was a perfect bunt. ... She put it down in the perfect spot, and we didn't have a play on it.
"We didn't have the right call. I didn't think they would do that."
A pair of timely hits from Nikka Chaney and Steed, who were a combined 0-for-4 with four strikeouts heading into the final frame, set the stage for Jackson's game-winning bunt.
Chaney kicked off the inning by ripping a line-drive single to right-center field, and then freshman Taylor Franklin put down a sacrifice bunt to move Alsip - pinch-running for Chaney - to second base. Steed broke through with a single to center field, putting runners on first and third to set up the final play.
"I kept telling them, 'We've seen the pitcher two times, so she shouldn't be fooling us anymore,'" said JCHS coach Doug Arbuckle of Chaney and Steed. "Nikka got it started. She got her hands through and drove a nice shot up the middle. Taylor Franklin got a bunt down - that's probably her first sacrifice bunt of the year - and Taylor Steed came up ... and got a nice hard hit up the middle."
Jay County (8-13) fell behind in the top of the sixth inning when the Flying Jets broke the scoreless tie.
Alyssa Keller led off the inning with a walk, stole second base and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Bess Fiechter. An infield single from Mariah McMillen two batters later brought Keller home for a 1-0 Adams Central lead.
But that lead didn't stand for long.
After Brittney Watson induced a line drive to end the inning, Wellman came to the plate to lead off the bottom of the sixth. She connected with the first pitch from Syndee Peterson, crushing it over the left-field fence for a game-tying home run.
"That was a great hit," said Blake. "It came at an opportune time for them. It was a great lift for them.
"Momentum just jumped from our side of the field to theirs in a heartbeat."
The homer finished off a 2-for-2 effort by Wellman, who walked in the first inning and singled in the fourth.
"That's just a big lift for the other girls, for her to step up there and do that," said Arbuckle of the home run. "I think she's got her swing back. She's back in the groove. She was 4-for-6 Saturday and she was 3-for-4 (Tuesday) night. She's back to hitting the ball real hard."
Watson picked up the senior-night victory as she limited the Flying Jets to just four hits. She struck out four batters in seven innings and didn't allow a runner past first base until the sixth.
Junior varsity
Jay County scored nine times in the bottom of the fourth inning on the way to an 11-6 victory over the Flying Jets.
Randa Gillespie finished with a single, two runs and two RBIs to lead the Patriots. Latrisha McEwen went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, and Moneai Shell added a single, two runs and an RBI.
Abbey Vance earned the win as she struck out five batters in seven innings and allowed just three hits. She gave up six runs - all unearned - and walked five batters.
Vance also scored a pair of runs for JCHS, which finished the season at 4-10.[[In-content Ad]]
Jackson dropped down a picture-perfect bunt with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning Wednesday to drive in Paige Alsip with the game-winning run for a 2-1 victory over the visiting Adams Central Flying Jets.
The game was tied when Jackson strolled to the plate with runners on first and third with one out in the bottom of the seventh. JCHS coach Doug Arbuckle said the original plan was to have Randa Gillespie - pinch-running for senior Taylor Steed at first base - try to draw a throw and allow Alsip to score from third.
But Jackson suggested a bunt. The top of the JCHS order - Jackson, Lexie Gierhart and Wellman - had noticed earlier in the game that Adams Central first baseman Lindsey McDougall tended to play all the way back near the right-field grass, leaving the first-base line wide open.
Arbuckle gave the go-ahead, and Jackson executed her plan flawlessly. Her bunt rolled just inside the first-base line, leaving the Flying Jets without any opportunity to throw Alsip out at the plate.
"We didn't have (a chance)," said Adams Central coach Cary Blake, whose team is now 11-8. "It was a perfect bunt. ... She put it down in the perfect spot, and we didn't have a play on it.
"We didn't have the right call. I didn't think they would do that."
A pair of timely hits from Nikka Chaney and Steed, who were a combined 0-for-4 with four strikeouts heading into the final frame, set the stage for Jackson's game-winning bunt.
Chaney kicked off the inning by ripping a line-drive single to right-center field, and then freshman Taylor Franklin put down a sacrifice bunt to move Alsip - pinch-running for Chaney - to second base. Steed broke through with a single to center field, putting runners on first and third to set up the final play.
"I kept telling them, 'We've seen the pitcher two times, so she shouldn't be fooling us anymore,'" said JCHS coach Doug Arbuckle of Chaney and Steed. "Nikka got it started. She got her hands through and drove a nice shot up the middle. Taylor Franklin got a bunt down - that's probably her first sacrifice bunt of the year - and Taylor Steed came up ... and got a nice hard hit up the middle."
Jay County (8-13) fell behind in the top of the sixth inning when the Flying Jets broke the scoreless tie.
Alyssa Keller led off the inning with a walk, stole second base and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Bess Fiechter. An infield single from Mariah McMillen two batters later brought Keller home for a 1-0 Adams Central lead.
But that lead didn't stand for long.
After Brittney Watson induced a line drive to end the inning, Wellman came to the plate to lead off the bottom of the sixth. She connected with the first pitch from Syndee Peterson, crushing it over the left-field fence for a game-tying home run.
"That was a great hit," said Blake. "It came at an opportune time for them. It was a great lift for them.
"Momentum just jumped from our side of the field to theirs in a heartbeat."
The homer finished off a 2-for-2 effort by Wellman, who walked in the first inning and singled in the fourth.
"That's just a big lift for the other girls, for her to step up there and do that," said Arbuckle of the home run. "I think she's got her swing back. She's back in the groove. She was 4-for-6 Saturday and she was 3-for-4 (Tuesday) night. She's back to hitting the ball real hard."
Watson picked up the senior-night victory as she limited the Flying Jets to just four hits. She struck out four batters in seven innings and didn't allow a runner past first base until the sixth.
Junior varsity
Jay County scored nine times in the bottom of the fourth inning on the way to an 11-6 victory over the Flying Jets.
Randa Gillespie finished with a single, two runs and two RBIs to lead the Patriots. Latrisha McEwen went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, and Moneai Shell added a single, two runs and an RBI.
Abbey Vance earned the win as she struck out five batters in seven innings and allowed just three hits. She gave up six runs - all unearned - and walked five batters.
Vance also scored a pair of runs for JCHS, which finished the season at 4-10.[[In-content Ad]]
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