July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Mixed previews (05/14/07)
JCHS baseball
Mixed previews (05/14/07)
By By RAY COONEY-
Double headers can be frustrating for coaches.
Saturday started well for Jay County coach Lea Selvey, but he ended with a sour taste in his mouth. It was just the opposite for Elwood's Adrian Heim.
The Jay County baseball team rolled to an 11-1 victory in the opening game of Saturday's double-header, but Heim's Elwood Panthers rallied back to eke out a 6-5 victory over the Patriots in game two.
"In the first game ... our lefty was cruising until he walks the first three guys (in the fourth inning)," said Heim. "And then we made an error. Basically in that seven-run inning we gave them the runs, and you can't do that."
Jay County coach Lea Selvey was left with much the same feeling after his team gave up five unearned runs in game two.
"We played ball the first game. The second game, we handed it to them," Selvey said. "I'm not going to dwell on errors but (five) of their runs were unearned, and off of routine plays. You're not going to win if you can't make a routine play."
Both teams are now 15-4 on the season and projected as the co-favorites in the Class 3A baseball sectional tournament at Blackford, which will begin two weeks from today. The draw for that tournament is Thursday.
Saturday's opening game looked as if it was going to be a battle as pitchers Andy Hughes of the Patriots and Jacob Hartman of Elwood each carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning. But Hartman walked Josh Selvey, Josh Ludy and Thomas McCowan consecutively to open the bottom of the fourth inning and was pulled from the game.
After Nick Leisure struck out the first batter he faced in relief, Tony McCowan and Rhett Retter smacked back-to-back singles and Luke Goetz added a fourth walk in the inning.
In his second at bat of the inning, Selvey knocked a three-run double to right field to complete a seven-run fourth.
Jay County added four more runs, all unearned, in the sixth inning to end the game early.
While Hartman faltered for the Panthers, Hughes tossed a one-hitter to earn the Patriot victory.
"He had an outstanding effort. ... He did a great job," said Selvey of Hughes, who allowed only an unearned run. "And the guys in the second game did a nice job. You can't fault the pitching. ... If we score five runs we ought to be able to win a game."
Elwood won the second game thanks in large part to No. 1 pitcher Derrek Conner. Although the big left-hander did not take the mound, his two picture-perfect sacrifice bunts aided the Panther offense.
"I'm real proud of him," said Heim. "He only had 10 at bats this year, but when he hits the ball he hits it so hard and so well. ... When we do our bunting practice, he bunts really well. You've got to be proud of him. He got two great ones down."
The first came in the second inning when Elwood scored three times on just one hit. After Jay County rallied to take a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning - Rhett Retter scored the lead run on a balk - Conner got down a second sacrifice bunt as the Panthers scored twice to reclaim the lead in the top of the seventh.
Elwood's final two runs came in because of an error, a bunt single, an RBI single and a passed ball. Nate Wills finished off the game with a one-two-three seventh against the heart of the Patriot order.
"They came back and didn't give up and battled and put the ball in play," said Selvey, "and you see what happened."
Ludy was the hard-luck loser in game two, giving up three runs - one earned - on four hits in relief of Trey Dunn.
Tony McCowan was outstanding at the plate throughout the day for the Patriots. The third baseman racked up five hits, five RBIs and three runs and had a double in each game.
Retter, Andy Hughes and Thomas McCowan each added three hits for Jay County.
Leadoff man Jacob Dunnichay paced the Panthers in game two, going 2-for-3 with a walk. He had a run, an RBI and three stolen bases.
"We stayed focused for the most part," said Heim. "This is probably the worst we've played in a two-week span. We didn't hit the ball, but we battled back there and won a ball game. To come out of here with a split as bad as we played, I think you've got to feel good against a quality ball team."
Jay County's junior varsity squad lost both games of its double-header against Elwood by 5-3 scores.[[In-content Ad]]
Saturday started well for Jay County coach Lea Selvey, but he ended with a sour taste in his mouth. It was just the opposite for Elwood's Adrian Heim.
The Jay County baseball team rolled to an 11-1 victory in the opening game of Saturday's double-header, but Heim's Elwood Panthers rallied back to eke out a 6-5 victory over the Patriots in game two.
"In the first game ... our lefty was cruising until he walks the first three guys (in the fourth inning)," said Heim. "And then we made an error. Basically in that seven-run inning we gave them the runs, and you can't do that."
Jay County coach Lea Selvey was left with much the same feeling after his team gave up five unearned runs in game two.
"We played ball the first game. The second game, we handed it to them," Selvey said. "I'm not going to dwell on errors but (five) of their runs were unearned, and off of routine plays. You're not going to win if you can't make a routine play."
Both teams are now 15-4 on the season and projected as the co-favorites in the Class 3A baseball sectional tournament at Blackford, which will begin two weeks from today. The draw for that tournament is Thursday.
Saturday's opening game looked as if it was going to be a battle as pitchers Andy Hughes of the Patriots and Jacob Hartman of Elwood each carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning. But Hartman walked Josh Selvey, Josh Ludy and Thomas McCowan consecutively to open the bottom of the fourth inning and was pulled from the game.
After Nick Leisure struck out the first batter he faced in relief, Tony McCowan and Rhett Retter smacked back-to-back singles and Luke Goetz added a fourth walk in the inning.
In his second at bat of the inning, Selvey knocked a three-run double to right field to complete a seven-run fourth.
Jay County added four more runs, all unearned, in the sixth inning to end the game early.
While Hartman faltered for the Panthers, Hughes tossed a one-hitter to earn the Patriot victory.
"He had an outstanding effort. ... He did a great job," said Selvey of Hughes, who allowed only an unearned run. "And the guys in the second game did a nice job. You can't fault the pitching. ... If we score five runs we ought to be able to win a game."
Elwood won the second game thanks in large part to No. 1 pitcher Derrek Conner. Although the big left-hander did not take the mound, his two picture-perfect sacrifice bunts aided the Panther offense.
"I'm real proud of him," said Heim. "He only had 10 at bats this year, but when he hits the ball he hits it so hard and so well. ... When we do our bunting practice, he bunts really well. You've got to be proud of him. He got two great ones down."
The first came in the second inning when Elwood scored three times on just one hit. After Jay County rallied to take a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning - Rhett Retter scored the lead run on a balk - Conner got down a second sacrifice bunt as the Panthers scored twice to reclaim the lead in the top of the seventh.
Elwood's final two runs came in because of an error, a bunt single, an RBI single and a passed ball. Nate Wills finished off the game with a one-two-three seventh against the heart of the Patriot order.
"They came back and didn't give up and battled and put the ball in play," said Selvey, "and you see what happened."
Ludy was the hard-luck loser in game two, giving up three runs - one earned - on four hits in relief of Trey Dunn.
Tony McCowan was outstanding at the plate throughout the day for the Patriots. The third baseman racked up five hits, five RBIs and three runs and had a double in each game.
Retter, Andy Hughes and Thomas McCowan each added three hits for Jay County.
Leadoff man Jacob Dunnichay paced the Panthers in game two, going 2-for-3 with a walk. He had a run, an RBI and three stolen bases.
"We stayed focused for the most part," said Heim. "This is probably the worst we've played in a two-week span. We didn't hit the ball, but we battled back there and won a ball game. To come out of here with a split as bad as we played, I think you've got to feel good against a quality ball team."
Jay County's junior varsity squad lost both games of its double-header against Elwood by 5-3 scores.[[In-content Ad]]
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