July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
JC seeking to end drought (05/30/07)
JCHS baseball
JC seeking to end drought (05/30/07)
By By RAY COONEY-
Ranked seventh in the state, Jay County came in as the favorite to win its first baseball sectional title since 1995. Having eliminated the next-best team in the group - Elwood - in Monday's opening round, it is in great position to end a 12-year drought.
But in sports, there are no guarantees.
So at the start of practice Tuesday, Lea Selvey kneeled with his team in foul territory just beyond third base on the field named for his father.
The JCHS coach reminded his Patriots that while they have won 22 games this year against just five losses, the next team in their way is the same team that ended both their 2005 and 2006 seasons.
"I know the last two years they've been the team that's knocked us out," said Selvey of the losses 2-1 to the Indians last season and 10-9 in 2005. "We have to go over there not necessarily with revenge or anything like that, but we've just got to go over there and be focused. The celebrating from (Monday) night is over."
Jay County is in a similar situation to what it faced a year ago when it knocked off Elwood 10-8 in the opening round before falling to Mississinewa. But this year's win over the Panthers, controversial ending and all, leaves the Patriots with a couple of questions heading into Friday's 5 p.m. semifinal game:
1. Who takes the mound?
2. Can they get their offense back on track?
Selvey answered the first, to an extent, Tuesday.
"It depends on (Michael) Jobe, on how he feels," said Selvey during practice at Don E. Selvey Field while adding that Andy Hughes, who has experienced some soreness in his arm, and Josh Ludy are his other options. "I feel pretty confident in our pitching. The last couple of games we really haven't scored and hit the ball like we had been. We've taken some called third strikes ..."
Jobe's pitching effort - he also hit a home run and scored twice - carried Jay County in its 3-2 win over Elwood. But his 11th win of the season, which is just one short of the school record set by Dean Hunt in 1976, marked just the third time this year the Patriots have scored single-digit runs in back to back games.
For most of the 2007 campaign the Patriots were a juggernaut, scoring double-digit runs 17 times. That included a stretch of six in a row in which they outscored opponents 72-11, and more than half of their wins came by the mercy rule.
"That was the second-lowest run total we've had all year," said Selvey. "So to win the game, we basically did it with pitching and defense (Monday) night.
"These kids are pretty confident and I don't think they're going to panic."
With Jobe and Hughes holding a combined record of 16-2, both averaging more than a strikeout per inning and both with opponents batting averages under .200, Jay County has every reason to be confident.
"Defensively we have to be strong and the pitching has to be good," said Hughes. "We kind of struggled offensively in our last game and we're not scoring as many runs as we should."
Mississinewa (11-14) scored its share of runs Monday with an 11-8 victory in its opening-round game over Delta. And Justin Branock did a good portion of that damage.
"I know Branock's a player," said Selvey of the senior, whose grand slam - his second home run of the night - gave 'Ole Miss the lead for good against Delta. "I think they're young, a little inexperienced, but I know Branock's a stud and we're going to have to go in there with the idea that we can't let him be in a position to beat us. He beat us last year and he's a good ball player.
"I don't think they're as potent a team as they were last year, but they've been scoring some runs recently. The only thing we're worried about right now is them."
That said, the Patriots entered the season with a goal of 20 wins and a sectional title. The first one is already taken care of, and to get the second they would have to win Friday and then take care of either Tipton or Blackford Saturday.
Those two squads will play in semifinal Friday at Blackford at 7:30 p.m.
"They're schedule is pretty difficult," said Selvey of Tipton's Blue Devils. "Sometimes their record can be a little bit deceiving."
As for the Bruins, Selvey reiterated comments from earlier in the season that the host team has a pitcher who can beat anyone on a given day.
"Blackford doesn't have a winning record, but they also have Jason Nantz," he said.[[In-content Ad]]
But in sports, there are no guarantees.
So at the start of practice Tuesday, Lea Selvey kneeled with his team in foul territory just beyond third base on the field named for his father.
The JCHS coach reminded his Patriots that while they have won 22 games this year against just five losses, the next team in their way is the same team that ended both their 2005 and 2006 seasons.
"I know the last two years they've been the team that's knocked us out," said Selvey of the losses 2-1 to the Indians last season and 10-9 in 2005. "We have to go over there not necessarily with revenge or anything like that, but we've just got to go over there and be focused. The celebrating from (Monday) night is over."
Jay County is in a similar situation to what it faced a year ago when it knocked off Elwood 10-8 in the opening round before falling to Mississinewa. But this year's win over the Panthers, controversial ending and all, leaves the Patriots with a couple of questions heading into Friday's 5 p.m. semifinal game:
1. Who takes the mound?
2. Can they get their offense back on track?
Selvey answered the first, to an extent, Tuesday.
"It depends on (Michael) Jobe, on how he feels," said Selvey during practice at Don E. Selvey Field while adding that Andy Hughes, who has experienced some soreness in his arm, and Josh Ludy are his other options. "I feel pretty confident in our pitching. The last couple of games we really haven't scored and hit the ball like we had been. We've taken some called third strikes ..."
Jobe's pitching effort - he also hit a home run and scored twice - carried Jay County in its 3-2 win over Elwood. But his 11th win of the season, which is just one short of the school record set by Dean Hunt in 1976, marked just the third time this year the Patriots have scored single-digit runs in back to back games.
For most of the 2007 campaign the Patriots were a juggernaut, scoring double-digit runs 17 times. That included a stretch of six in a row in which they outscored opponents 72-11, and more than half of their wins came by the mercy rule.
"That was the second-lowest run total we've had all year," said Selvey. "So to win the game, we basically did it with pitching and defense (Monday) night.
"These kids are pretty confident and I don't think they're going to panic."
With Jobe and Hughes holding a combined record of 16-2, both averaging more than a strikeout per inning and both with opponents batting averages under .200, Jay County has every reason to be confident.
"Defensively we have to be strong and the pitching has to be good," said Hughes. "We kind of struggled offensively in our last game and we're not scoring as many runs as we should."
Mississinewa (11-14) scored its share of runs Monday with an 11-8 victory in its opening-round game over Delta. And Justin Branock did a good portion of that damage.
"I know Branock's a player," said Selvey of the senior, whose grand slam - his second home run of the night - gave 'Ole Miss the lead for good against Delta. "I think they're young, a little inexperienced, but I know Branock's a stud and we're going to have to go in there with the idea that we can't let him be in a position to beat us. He beat us last year and he's a good ball player.
"I don't think they're as potent a team as they were last year, but they've been scoring some runs recently. The only thing we're worried about right now is them."
That said, the Patriots entered the season with a goal of 20 wins and a sectional title. The first one is already taken care of, and to get the second they would have to win Friday and then take care of either Tipton or Blackford Saturday.
Those two squads will play in semifinal Friday at Blackford at 7:30 p.m.
"They're schedule is pretty difficult," said Selvey of Tipton's Blue Devils. "Sometimes their record can be a little bit deceiving."
As for the Bruins, Selvey reiterated comments from earlier in the season that the host team has a pitcher who can beat anyone on a given day.
"Blackford doesn't have a winning record, but they also have Jason Nantz," he said.[[In-content Ad]]
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