Jay softball tops Tigers (05/05/05)

PORTLAND — The hits were hard to come by Tuesday. A night later, the Patriots barely needed them.

Jay County’s softball team had just two hits in the first two innings Wednesday, but still scored four runs. With the lead already built, the hits poured in the next two frames as the Patriots went on to a 10-2 win over the Bluffton Tigers.

“It’s kind of like night and day for us,” said JCHS coach Jack Wood, whose team went hitless with 14 strikeouts through the first five innings of a 8-0 loss to Huntington North Tuesday. “I think it took us a while to get adjusted to the speed. It was nice to be able to pick up a win. We needed that right now.”

The Patriots (5-9) took control early against Bluffton thanks to a pair of first-inning errors and six walks in the first two frames.

Saffron Redwine led off the game with a walk, and Amber Champ sacrificed her to second with a bunt. She pushed to third on a passed ball, which may have been the biggest play of the inning.

With Redwine on third No. 3 hitter Trisha Champ struck out, but catcher Ashley Trout dropped the ball. Champ headed to first, and there was no throw as Trout chose to hold the ball instead of allowing Redwine to score.

That move proved costly when Redwine scored as she and Champ executed a double steal, and the next five Patriot batters reached base.

Chelsea DeBoy ripped a grounder which shortstop Kim Johnson couldn’t handle, and Miranda Betz followed with a walk to load the bases. The Tigers managed the second out as they cut down Champ at home on a grounder by Andrea Current, but Marah Kyle walked Erica Murray to bring in DeBoy with the second Jay County run.

Betz gave the Patriots a 3-0 lead when Lisa Weitzel reached base on an error before Bluffton finally got out of the inning.

“It seems like that’s the kind of innings we’ve been having defensively this year,” said Wood. “It’s kind of nice be on the other side.”

Redwine again led off the second inning with a walk, and scored on a single by Amber Champ. Kyle then walked Trisha Champ before being lifted in favor of Johnson. Johnson got two outs before walking Current, and was able to escape the inning without further damage.

But, errors hurt Johnson in the third inning as Jay County picked up three unearned runs. After Erica Clark drew a one-out walk, Redwine got to first on an error by third baseman Eliza Walburn.

Johnson managed to get the second out, but Trisha Champ came up big again. The freshman ripped a two-run triple to center field, and then scored when Chelsea DeBoy smacked an RBI single to right-center.

The Patriots added three more runs in the fourth inning, two of which came on a single by DeBoy as the new Patriot lineup worked like a charm.

Moved up to the leadoff position, Redwine reached base in all five of her plate appearances and scored four runs. She also had two stolen bases.

Dropped from No. 1 to No. 3, Trisha Champ had three RBIs. DeBoy, hitting in the No. 4 slot, went 3-for-5 with three RBIs.

“Trisha has just been pounding the ball,” said Wood. “If we can get a couple of people on front her and Chelsea ... that (lineup is) something we’ve tried the last two games.”

Morgan Locke also came off the bench for a pair of hits, including a double.

Brittany Logue got the win, allowing just a pair of unearned runs on six hits in seven innings. She struck out three batters and did not give up a walk.

“I thought Brittany pitched real well,” said Wood. “She pitched well last night only giving up six hits to Huntington North. She came back tonight and had a pretty solid performance.”

Kyle took the loss for Bluffton as she gave up four runs — two earned — on two hits in just one-plus innings of work.

She walked five of the 12 batters she faced.

Lauren Peterson and Katie Vanderkolk each had a pair of hits for the Tigers. Erin Popplewell scored both of the team’s runs.[[In-content Ad]]