July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Jay County sneaks by Bearcats (05/07/03)
JCHS Baseball
Jay County sneaks by Bearcats (05/07/03)
PORTLAND — Watch Baseball Tonight, and Peter Gammons and his cohorts constantly say an indicator of a team’s greatness is it’s record in one-run games. Jay County is undefeated.
The Patriots (14-1) scored once in the seventh inning and one in the eighth to pull out a 4-3 win over Muncie Central Tuesday. They have won all four of their one-run contests this season.
“We found a way,” said Jay County coach Lea Selvey. “All year we just have found a way to win.”
The way to win the game Tuesday against the Bearcats hinged on getting Matt Champ a second chance.
Champ, the senior center fielder, struck out looking with the bases loaded to end the sixth inning after a 3-0 count. At the time the Patriots trailed 3-2, but they scored once in the seventh to force extra innings and allow Champ another try.
Muncie Central reliever Nate Shockley walked the only two batters he faced, putting Trent Bailey and Josh Jellison on to start the inning. He was immediately pulled, but Chance Retter greeted Bryan Spisak with a single to center field to load the bases for Champ again.
This time, Champ didn’t waste any time watching pitches go by, knocking a game-winning RBI single to right field to bring Bailey to the plate.
“I knew the pressure was on,” said Champ. “I knew what I had to do. The first pitch was in there, and I just ripped it.
“It’s hard to believe I got two chances to do that.”
“I knew he was going to swing the bat the next time up,” said Selvey. “He’s a senior, he’s been there. I just felt confident after him being there in the first situation.”
Jay County tied the game in the seventh against Bearcat starter Bryan Dennis after a leadoff single from Heath Williams. The speedster stole second base, and scored on an RBI single to left-center field by Adam Homan.
Muncie Central (6-8) had a lead early in the game when Ty Riddle walked and scored on a Ty Gard fielder’s choice in the second inning. The Patriots quickly tied the contest when Nick Timmerman led off the second inning with a single and scored on a seeing-eye hit by Retter.
Jay County left the bases loaded in the second, but went up 2-1 on a home run down the left field line by Cameron Hummel to lead off the third inning.
The Bearcats rolled back with two runs in the fourth inning to chase Patriot starter Chad Keen. However, Mike Smith got out of a two-on, no out jam to stop the bleeding and tossed four innings of scoreless ball.
After Williams scored in the bottom of the seventh, Selvey called on Josh Jellison, who sat down Muncie Central one-two-three in the top of the seventh. The Bearcats would not record another out, and Champ went on to deliver the winning hit.
Jellison picked up his ninth win of the year in the single inning. He is now tied for third on the Patriots’ single-season win list.
Dan Farrell (1992) is second with 10 victories, and Dean Hunt set the record with 12 wins in the first season of Jay County baseball in 1976. Jellison is also on pace for the lowest ERA and the best winning percentage in school history.
Smith allowed just two hits in four scoreless innings, and Keen gave up three runs on five hits in three innings.
“Smitty came in and did what we need him to do for us to win a sectional,” said Selvey.
Riddle, Shockley and Reed Scherrer each had a pair of hits for Muncie Central. Riddle scored twice and had one RBI.
Dennis gave a great effort for the Bearcats, but came up short as he allowed three runs on eight hits. He stuck out five and walked two.
Shockley took the loss as he faced two batters and walked them both, giving up one run.
“(Dennis) pitched a great game,” said Muncie Central coach Clint VonDielingen. “It was only his second start all year, and he deserved to win. He kept them off balance and threw strikes.”
But, VonDielingen said, his team’s Achilles’ Heel came to haunt it again with the walks in the eighth inning. The Bearcats had already felt the pain of walking 15 batters in one game Saturday.
Jay County got a 3-for-4 effort from Retter, who also drove in a run. Hummel was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
The Patriots will host Adams Central Thursday at 4:30 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
The Patriots (14-1) scored once in the seventh inning and one in the eighth to pull out a 4-3 win over Muncie Central Tuesday. They have won all four of their one-run contests this season.
“We found a way,” said Jay County coach Lea Selvey. “All year we just have found a way to win.”
The way to win the game Tuesday against the Bearcats hinged on getting Matt Champ a second chance.
Champ, the senior center fielder, struck out looking with the bases loaded to end the sixth inning after a 3-0 count. At the time the Patriots trailed 3-2, but they scored once in the seventh to force extra innings and allow Champ another try.
Muncie Central reliever Nate Shockley walked the only two batters he faced, putting Trent Bailey and Josh Jellison on to start the inning. He was immediately pulled, but Chance Retter greeted Bryan Spisak with a single to center field to load the bases for Champ again.
This time, Champ didn’t waste any time watching pitches go by, knocking a game-winning RBI single to right field to bring Bailey to the plate.
“I knew the pressure was on,” said Champ. “I knew what I had to do. The first pitch was in there, and I just ripped it.
“It’s hard to believe I got two chances to do that.”
“I knew he was going to swing the bat the next time up,” said Selvey. “He’s a senior, he’s been there. I just felt confident after him being there in the first situation.”
Jay County tied the game in the seventh against Bearcat starter Bryan Dennis after a leadoff single from Heath Williams. The speedster stole second base, and scored on an RBI single to left-center field by Adam Homan.
Muncie Central (6-8) had a lead early in the game when Ty Riddle walked and scored on a Ty Gard fielder’s choice in the second inning. The Patriots quickly tied the contest when Nick Timmerman led off the second inning with a single and scored on a seeing-eye hit by Retter.
Jay County left the bases loaded in the second, but went up 2-1 on a home run down the left field line by Cameron Hummel to lead off the third inning.
The Bearcats rolled back with two runs in the fourth inning to chase Patriot starter Chad Keen. However, Mike Smith got out of a two-on, no out jam to stop the bleeding and tossed four innings of scoreless ball.
After Williams scored in the bottom of the seventh, Selvey called on Josh Jellison, who sat down Muncie Central one-two-three in the top of the seventh. The Bearcats would not record another out, and Champ went on to deliver the winning hit.
Jellison picked up his ninth win of the year in the single inning. He is now tied for third on the Patriots’ single-season win list.
Dan Farrell (1992) is second with 10 victories, and Dean Hunt set the record with 12 wins in the first season of Jay County baseball in 1976. Jellison is also on pace for the lowest ERA and the best winning percentage in school history.
Smith allowed just two hits in four scoreless innings, and Keen gave up three runs on five hits in three innings.
“Smitty came in and did what we need him to do for us to win a sectional,” said Selvey.
Riddle, Shockley and Reed Scherrer each had a pair of hits for Muncie Central. Riddle scored twice and had one RBI.
Dennis gave a great effort for the Bearcats, but came up short as he allowed three runs on eight hits. He stuck out five and walked two.
Shockley took the loss as he faced two batters and walked them both, giving up one run.
“(Dennis) pitched a great game,” said Muncie Central coach Clint VonDielingen. “It was only his second start all year, and he deserved to win. He kept them off balance and threw strikes.”
But, VonDielingen said, his team’s Achilles’ Heel came to haunt it again with the walks in the eighth inning. The Bearcats had already felt the pain of walking 15 batters in one game Saturday.
Jay County got a 3-for-4 effort from Retter, who also drove in a run. Hummel was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
The Patriots will host Adams Central Thursday at 4:30 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
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