JCHS rallies past the Giants (04/23/07)

MARION - All Jay County needed to do was score. Shae Keller was taking care of the rest.

Keller tossed 41/3 scoreless innings of relief Saturday as the Patriot softball team rebounded after giving up six fourth-inning runs for a 10-6, eight-inning victory over the Marion Giants.

Marion's six runs in the fourth gave it a 6-5 lead, but Keller shut the Giants down after coming in to get the final out of the frame. She allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out eight batters.

Keller also had one of the game's key hits as she doubled in the sixth inning to send her younger sister, Kaelee, to the plate with the tying run.

After a scoreless seventh, freshman Lindsey Wellman led off the eighth inning with a single and moved to second on a bunt from Amanda Alberson. Kaelee Keller followed with an infield hit and a steal of second, then Trisha Champ broke the tie with a two-run double. Jay County (4-3) tacked on two more runs as Pazia Speed doubled to score Champ, and Morgan Locke singled to bring Speed home.

Shae Keller, who is now 3-3, then tossed a scoreless bottom of the eighth to secure the win.

Speed led a big day for the Patriot offense with two doubles and a triple. She drove in three runs and scored twice.

Kaelee Keller was 2-for-4 with three runs and two stolen bases, and Shae Keller finished with two doubles, two steals, a run and an RBI. Champ had two runs and two RBIs, and Wellman went 3-for-4 with two runs.[[In-content Ad]]