Jay softball earns 1st win (04/15/05)

PORTLAND — In five games this year the Patriots had led for just 21/2 innings. Tuesday they grabbed the advantage in their first at bat and never let it go.

Jay County’s softball team scored three first-inning runs and never trailed as it picked up its first win of the season 6-3 over the Muncie Southside Rebels.

“It feels very good,” said JCHS coach Jack Wood of the victory. “That was about our happiest meeting after a game yet. I’m proud of them. They deserve that.”

Trisha Champ got the Patriots started with a lead-off single to right field followed by a stolen base in the first inning. Amber Champ sacrificed her to third with a bunt, and Trisha Champ scored when Chelsea DeBoy reached base on an error by Southside third baseman Fallon Shively.

Shively committed a second straight error on a grounder by Andrea Current before pitcher Michelle Jones recorded the second out of the inning. Saffron Redwine didn’t let Jones escape the frame however, knocking a two-out, two-run single to right field.

The three Jay County runs matched the most the team has scored in a single inning all season. They also marked the first time it had scored in the first inning since the season opener at Mississinewa.

“I think that just gave them some confidence,” said Wood. “I think they realized that ‘Hey, we’ve got a lead now.’”

The best chance for Southside (0-7) to get back into the game came when it loaded the bases with one out in the fourth inning. Keely Rhinehart gave the Rebels a run with an RBI single to center field. But, Elise Waller flied out to center field and Felicia Fritz hit a grounder to Patriot third baseman Morgan Locke to end the inning.

“That hurts,” said Muncie Southside coach Bob Harber. “We just haven’t had many base runners this year. I don’t think we’ve put two hits together but maybe one time. Something has got to happen sooner or later.”

Erica Clark led off the fourth inning with a single for Jay County (1-5) and then stole second base. She scored on an RBI single to center field by Amber Champ

Southside came back thanks to back-to-back two-out singles by Miranda Kipfer and Rhinehart, which were followed by an error. Kipfer and Rhinehart both scored to pull the Rebels within 4-3, but that was as close as they would get.

Andrea Current singled to lead off the Patriot half of the sixth, and pinch runner Amber Detro scored on another RBI single from Redwine. Redwine came around to the plate when Morgan Locke reached on an error, and Jay County pitcher Brittany Logue tossed a one-two-three seventh to complete the victory.

Redwine had an outstanding game at the plate from her No. 6 spot in the order, finishing 2-for-2 with a walk. She drove in half of Jay County’s runs and scored once.

Amber Champ had a single and an RBI, and Trisha Champ and Clark each singled and scored a run.

Perhaps most important was the strikeout total for the Patriots — zero.

“(Wednesday) night [against Bellmont] we struck out six times and that was our low,” said Wood, whose team averaged double-digit strikeouts through its first four games. “We didn’t strike out any tonight. We’re finally getting a little more aggressive at the plate.”

Logue was also solid on the mound, holding the Rebels to just three runs — two earned — on four hits. She struck out six batters.

“I think Brittany was throwing the ball a lot better than what she had,” Wood said. “She seemed to have a little bit more on her pitches.”

Rhinehart, the No. 9 hitter, picked up half of Southside’s hits, drove in two of its three runs, and scored the other.

Jones took the loss, but only one of the six runs she allowed was earned. She gave up six hits and one walk in falling to 0-6.

“Once the losing starts anybody just seems to not be able to think ‘Hey, we can catch up,’” said Harber. “We’ve got it inside of us that we can come back. It just hasn’t happened yet for us.”[[In-content Ad]]