Jay overcomes large deficit (04/15/03)

After three easy wins to open the season and a jump into the state rankings, the Patriots were due for a fall back toward the earth. They were well on their way before deciding to cancel the trip.

Jay County shook off a 7-0 deficit Monday, rallying for a 10-8 victory over the Marion Giants.

“It goes back to last year when they drilled us and were laughing,” said Selvey, who told his team the Giants were laughing at them again during the game Monday. “I basically just challenged them to show me (how good they are).”

The Patriots — ranked ninth in this week’s coach’s poll — were happy to oblige their coach.

Just after a terrible defensive inning which allowed four Marion runs Jay County began to dig out of the hole. Down 7-0, designated hitter Erich Zielinski led off with a double to right-center field and the rally was on.

Heath Williams went all the way to second base when center fielder Brian Goins couldn’t field his short fly ball. Cameron Hummel brought in Zielinski with the first of his two sacrifice flies of the day for the first Patriot run.

Adam Homan walked, and Williams made his way to home plate on a Nick Timmerman single which set the table for Chris Myers. The senior right fielder crushed a three-run home run over the left-field fence to slice the Giants’ lead to two.

Not to be outdone, sophomore Trent Bailey smashed a line drive home run to left field the in the next at bat and the Patriots were back in the ball game.

“Zielinski’s hit (turned it around),” said Josh Jellison, who took the mound in the fourth inning in relief of Mike Smith. “That was a big one. Everybody started to hit after that.”

“They got their focus back,” said Selvey. “We got that one big inning. Really, I felt confident that we were going to pull it out.”

Selvey had every reason for confidence with Jellison on the mound. The senior, who threw a two-hit shut out Friday, silenced Marion’s bats.

He allowed one unearned run in the fourth inning after a Daniel Galvan triple, but that was all the Giants would manage. He struck out eight batters in the final four innings as he picked up the victory.

With Jellison locking down the opposing bats, the Patriot offense gave him the runs he would need for the lead. Williams tied the game in the fourth inning, reaching one a single and then wreaking his usual havoc on the bases.

He stole second and advanced to third base as the ball skipped into right-center field on the throw. He scored the tying run on Hummel’s second sacrifice fly.

Jay County (4-0) pushed ahead with runs from Chad Keen and Chance Retter in the fifth inning. They added one more insurance run in the sixth when Timmerman walked and came around to score on a Bailey single.

“We had to come back to win,” said Jellison. “I didn’t feel like losing.

“(This game) will help us a lot. We’ll have a lot more games just like this one where we need to come together (as a team).”

Seven players notched hits for the Patriots against Marion, and every batter reached base at least once. Keen led the way, going 3-for-3 with a run, and Bailey had two hits, two RBIs and a run.

Myers’ lone hit was the home run, accounting for three RBIs, and Hummel drove in a pair with his sacrifice flies. Williams and Timmerman each scored a pair of runs.

Jon Fields took the loss for Marion. He went the distance and allowed 10 runs — seven earned — on 11 hits. He struck out five and walked three.

Jay County will host Wapahani Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]