Patriots smack Daleville, 14-3 (04/20/05)

PORTLAND — First-inning strikeouts don’t often signal a good start. But, the Patriots turned them into a positive Tuesday.

The Jay County softball team took advantage of a couple of dropped third strikes by the Daleville Broncos to key a three-run first inning en route to a 14-3, five inning victory.

Trisha Champ struck out to open the bottom of the first inning for the Patriots, but she reached first safely when catcher Jordan Kaelin dropped the ball. Champ then stole second base, went to third on a ground out by Amber Champ and scored on an overthrow.

Chelsea DeBoy tripled, and Andrea Current and Saffron Redwine each added singles in the frame. Daleville did its part to contribute to the early Jay County success by committing three more errors, including two more dropped third strikes.

“We definitely needed that game,” said JCHS coach Jack Wood. “We needed a win. We had a pretty tough game (Monday) night (in a 10-0 loss to Anderson Highland). We needed a game where we could get some hits, run the bases and do what we were capable of doing. If anything, that helps their confidence tonight.”

Amber Champ ripped a shot down the third-base line in the second inning and came all the way around for a home run, pushing the Patriot lead to 4-1. Then Jay County (2-6) put the Broncos away in the third.

Taking advantage of four more Daleville errors, the Patriots posted 10 runs as they batted around the order for the second time in the game.

Andrea Current started the inning with a walk, and added a single later as each of the first 10 Jay County batters reached base. The team sent 14 to the plate in all in the inning.

Saffron Redwine reached on an error after the Current walk, and Erica Murray, Lisa Weitzel, Erica Clark and Trisha Champ notched consecutive singles. Amber Champ got on base with a fielder’s choice, which was followed by a single from DeBoy, a walk by Miranda Betz and Current’s single.

Murray walked and Weitzel added her second two-run single of the frame before Daleville pitcher Chelsea Humes finally recorded the third out.

The Patriots racked up seven hits in the inning, Current and Murray each scored twice and Weitzel posted four RBIs.

“Our lineup has stayed the same pretty much the last three or four games and we’ve finally seen some girls hit together,” said Wood. “We strung (four) hits together and went around in the third inning.”

DeBoy, Current and Weitzel each had two hits for Jay County, which finished with 11 as a team. Current scored three times, and DeBoy, Murray and Amber Champ each added two runs. Trisha Champ finished with a couple of RBIs.

DeBoy, Betz, Trisha Champ and Amber Champ each had a stolen base.

The offensive outburst backed up a solid effort from starter Brittany Logue, who got her second win of the year by allowing just one unearned run in four innings. She struck out five, gave up three hits and walked one.

Humes suffered the loss for Daleville as half of the 14 runs she gave up were unearned. She surrendered 11 hits and three walks while striking out three.

She was the top offensive player for the Broncos, scoring two of their three runs and adding two stolen bases. Katlin Parrish scored the other run, and Linsey Riffey, Jordan Adkins, Kelsey Pence and Brittany Haulter each had one hit.[[In-content Ad]]