July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Keen Ks 16 in Jay win (04/07/05)
JCHS baseball
Keen Ks 16 in Jay win (04/07/05)
By By RAY COONEY-
PORTLAND — It didn’t come easy at the beginning. And the end was no picnic either. But Chad Keen worked his way through some control problems to pitch the Jay County baseball team to victory Wednesday night.
Keen overcame seven walks by racking up 16 strikeouts as the Patriots held off the Winchester Golden Falcons 7-6 for their first win of the season.
“It was a long game, but I’m just glad we ended up with the win. That’s all that really matters,” said Keen, noting the need to come back from Tuesday’s 15-7 season-opening loss to Adams Central. “We definitely need the win tonight.”
Winchester coach Steve McCoy said his team just never found a way to handle Keen.
“He did a fine job,” McCoy said. “He just kept us off stride all evening long. He just did a wonderful job.”
Keen found it difficult to throw the ball over the plate early, walking Winchester lead-off hitter Tilmon Clark, who scored on a Daniel Bogue double to give the Golden Falcons a 1-0 lead in the first inning. But, he got out of the inning by striking out the side and found his groove after issuing a pair of one-out walks in the second.
He sat down Dustin Baldwin on strikes to end the second inning, then struck out two more in the third.
He struck out the side in three of the final four innings, including three straight Ks against No. 7, 8 and 9 hitters Jed Norton, Justin Henry and Ryan Gray in the fourth and sixth.
Keen got into trouble again with three consecutive walks to open the seventh inning, but was able to pitch out of it just in time.
He sat down Ian Housel on a called third strike for the first out before Nick Coats hit a two-run double and Josh Geesy reached on an error. Keen then struck out North swinging and pinch hitter Justin Schwieterman looking to preserve the win.
“Early on I couldn’t find my spots,” said Keen, who allowed six runs — four earned — on five hits in earning the victory. “Once I got going throwing some more I ended up being more consistent and striking guys out.
“Things did get quite a bit out of hand (at the end). I got mad at myself, but then I realized I just had to suck it up and keep pitching ...”
Added JCHS coach Lea Selvey: “I’m pleased with the pitching performance. He had a lot of walks, but he also had a lot of strikeouts too. He was tired the last inning, but we just wanted him to close it.”
Keen also used his bat to help is cause, and got a big effort at the plate from Josh Shatto.
Keen’s infield single and steal of second base started a Patriot rally in the bottom of the first. John Retter walked, and Eric Somers and Shatto followed with back-to-back RBI singles as they went ahead for good with a 3-1 advantage.
Keen added an RBI single to score fellow senior Trent Bailey in the second, and Shatto doubled and scored runs in both the third and fifth innings. Cory Locke drove Shatto and Rhett Retter across the plate in the fifth with a two-run single to left.
Shatto finished 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, and Keen was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Sophomore Rhett Retter and freshman Josh Ludy each added doubles in the victory.
“I’m proud of the kids,” said Selvey. “We didn’t look very good (Tuesday night). We didn’t play with the confidence we did tonight ... The kids came back and played. Any time they can bounce back I think that’s a good thing.”
Bogue went 3-for-3 with a double, one run and one RBI to lead the Golden Falcon offense. Coats had a double, a run and two RBIs, Housel had a double and Clark and Baldwin each scored twice.
“When we had people on early we didn’t come through with a base hit,” said McCoy, whose team left five runners on base in the first three innings. “Jay County had a way of making it three and then four and then five. That’s an awful big deficit to overcome when you’re going into the last inning.”
Clark took the loss for Winchester as he allowed two runs on two hits in two innings of relief. He walked two and struck out one.
Starting pitcher Dustin Baldwin gave up five runs — three earned — on eight hits in four innings.[[In-content Ad]]
Keen overcame seven walks by racking up 16 strikeouts as the Patriots held off the Winchester Golden Falcons 7-6 for their first win of the season.
“It was a long game, but I’m just glad we ended up with the win. That’s all that really matters,” said Keen, noting the need to come back from Tuesday’s 15-7 season-opening loss to Adams Central. “We definitely need the win tonight.”
Winchester coach Steve McCoy said his team just never found a way to handle Keen.
“He did a fine job,” McCoy said. “He just kept us off stride all evening long. He just did a wonderful job.”
Keen found it difficult to throw the ball over the plate early, walking Winchester lead-off hitter Tilmon Clark, who scored on a Daniel Bogue double to give the Golden Falcons a 1-0 lead in the first inning. But, he got out of the inning by striking out the side and found his groove after issuing a pair of one-out walks in the second.
He sat down Dustin Baldwin on strikes to end the second inning, then struck out two more in the third.
He struck out the side in three of the final four innings, including three straight Ks against No. 7, 8 and 9 hitters Jed Norton, Justin Henry and Ryan Gray in the fourth and sixth.
Keen got into trouble again with three consecutive walks to open the seventh inning, but was able to pitch out of it just in time.
He sat down Ian Housel on a called third strike for the first out before Nick Coats hit a two-run double and Josh Geesy reached on an error. Keen then struck out North swinging and pinch hitter Justin Schwieterman looking to preserve the win.
“Early on I couldn’t find my spots,” said Keen, who allowed six runs — four earned — on five hits in earning the victory. “Once I got going throwing some more I ended up being more consistent and striking guys out.
“Things did get quite a bit out of hand (at the end). I got mad at myself, but then I realized I just had to suck it up and keep pitching ...”
Added JCHS coach Lea Selvey: “I’m pleased with the pitching performance. He had a lot of walks, but he also had a lot of strikeouts too. He was tired the last inning, but we just wanted him to close it.”
Keen also used his bat to help is cause, and got a big effort at the plate from Josh Shatto.
Keen’s infield single and steal of second base started a Patriot rally in the bottom of the first. John Retter walked, and Eric Somers and Shatto followed with back-to-back RBI singles as they went ahead for good with a 3-1 advantage.
Keen added an RBI single to score fellow senior Trent Bailey in the second, and Shatto doubled and scored runs in both the third and fifth innings. Cory Locke drove Shatto and Rhett Retter across the plate in the fifth with a two-run single to left.
Shatto finished 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, and Keen was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Sophomore Rhett Retter and freshman Josh Ludy each added doubles in the victory.
“I’m proud of the kids,” said Selvey. “We didn’t look very good (Tuesday night). We didn’t play with the confidence we did tonight ... The kids came back and played. Any time they can bounce back I think that’s a good thing.”
Bogue went 3-for-3 with a double, one run and one RBI to lead the Golden Falcon offense. Coats had a double, a run and two RBIs, Housel had a double and Clark and Baldwin each scored twice.
“When we had people on early we didn’t come through with a base hit,” said McCoy, whose team left five runners on base in the first three innings. “Jay County had a way of making it three and then four and then five. That’s an awful big deficit to overcome when you’re going into the last inning.”
Clark took the loss for Winchester as he allowed two runs on two hits in two innings of relief. He walked two and struck out one.
Starting pitcher Dustin Baldwin gave up five runs — three earned — on eight hits in four innings.[[In-content Ad]]
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