July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Starfires strike gold vs. JC (05/13/04)
JCHS/SAHS Softball
PORTLAND — The South Adams and Jay County softball teams are headed in opposite directions. The Starfires are shooting forward, while the Patriots have stumbled back during the last two weeks.
South Adams won back-to-back games for the first time this season Wednesday, handing Jay County its sixth straight defeat by an 11-1 score in six innings.
“We’ve been overpowered all year by most of the teams in our conference,” said South Adams coach Jeff Bradtmiller, whose team improved to 4-13 on the season. “Our non-conference schedule is tough. But, when we can put the bat on the ball a little bit the defense plays with a little more confidence.”
The Starfires singled Jay County to death, as none of their eight hits went for extra bases. They also brought all of their three walks around to score, and made the Patriots pay for a trio of errors in an eight-run third inning.
With the runs popping up on the board the South Adams defense turned in a couple of outstanding plays.
In the fourth inning senior shortstop Kelly Mertz made a nice stab on a line drive off the bat of Stephanie Imel, taking away what would have likely been a double. The Patriots were threatening to score in the fifth inning with runners on first and third, but senior left fielder LeeAnn Snyder made a great diving catch to end the inning on a hard-hit ball by Jenni Chittum.
Jay County coach Jack Wood was as disappointed with his team’s effort as Bradtmiller was happy with the Starfires.
“We’re just not playing together as a team,” he said.
The Patriots matched last season’s win total when they defeated Muncie Central on April 26. Since then they have lost twice to Huntington North and once each to Anderson Highland, Bluffton, Blackford and the Starfires to slip to 6-14.
“Several games ago — after the Anderson Highland game — we thought we were in the right direction,” Wood added. “Now we’re not focused at all. We’re not giving 100 percent as a team.”
Amber Champ walked in the first inning, stole second base and scored on a Katie Alberson single. But, that marked the only score Jay County would get all night.
Facing the 1-0 deficit the Starfires got a leadoff walk from Mertz in the third inning. Kindle Inniger and Jennifer Rybolt followed with back-to-back bunt singles, the second of which scored Mertz as the throw to first base bounced off of Rybolt’s shoulder.
Kayla Coblentz drew a walk to load the bases, and Snyder brought in a run on a fielder’s choice as Inniger beat shortstop Chelsea DeBoy’s throw to the plate. Renee Neuenschwander drove in Rybolt for another run with a single to center field, and Coblentz scored when a grounder by Candice Miller went under Imel’s glove at third base.
The Patriots finally got an out when DeBoy forced out Snyder at home on a Lacey Rhoades grounder. Still, Neuenschwander scored on a sacrifice fly by Shante Miller, and Mertz again loaded the bases with her second walk of the inning.
Inniger then finished off the outburst with a single to center field. She was credited with two RBIs, but the hit cleared the bases as it rolled under Chittum’s glove and all the way to the fence.
South Adams added three more runs on consecutive hits by Coblentz, Snyder, Neuenschwander and Candice Miller in the sixth inning.
Inniger finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run, and Neuenschwander went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Amber Fryback scored twice as a pinch runner for Neuenschwander.
Candice Miller added a couple of RBIs and a run, Coblentz scored twice and Snyder had a run and an RBI.
“The good thing is, you could tell once we started to score a few runs Jay County started to lose a little confidence,” said Bradtmiller. “We’ve been in that position and it’s hard to come back from.”
Neuenschwander kept them from coming back, often getting the Patriots to chase bad pitches as she earned the victory. She allowed one run on four hits in six innings while striking out five and walking two.
Her defense committed just one inconsequential error behind her in the first inning.
“That’s one advantage of throwing her,” said Bradtmiller. “She’s not going to throw everything down the middle. The other team kind of has to guess where the ball is going to be at.”
Jay County had trouble finding the ball, with Alberson recording two of its four hits and its lone RBI. Champ scored the only run and also had a single, and Ashleigh Myers had the other hit.
The bottom four hitters in the Patriot order went a combined 0-for-7 with three strikeouts and did not hit the ball out of the infield.
“We hit before the game and we hit the ball hard,” said Wood. “When we get to the game — and this has happened the last couple of times — we’re not attacking the ball. We’re just not being aggressive.”
Myers suffered the defeat, allowing 11 runs — six earned — on nine hits. She struck out two and walked three in six innings.
Jay County will try to end its slump today when it hosts Anderson at 5 p.m. South Adams will try to keep its momentum rolling when it hosts Woodlan today at 4:30 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
South Adams won back-to-back games for the first time this season Wednesday, handing Jay County its sixth straight defeat by an 11-1 score in six innings.
“We’ve been overpowered all year by most of the teams in our conference,” said South Adams coach Jeff Bradtmiller, whose team improved to 4-13 on the season. “Our non-conference schedule is tough. But, when we can put the bat on the ball a little bit the defense plays with a little more confidence.”
The Starfires singled Jay County to death, as none of their eight hits went for extra bases. They also brought all of their three walks around to score, and made the Patriots pay for a trio of errors in an eight-run third inning.
With the runs popping up on the board the South Adams defense turned in a couple of outstanding plays.
In the fourth inning senior shortstop Kelly Mertz made a nice stab on a line drive off the bat of Stephanie Imel, taking away what would have likely been a double. The Patriots were threatening to score in the fifth inning with runners on first and third, but senior left fielder LeeAnn Snyder made a great diving catch to end the inning on a hard-hit ball by Jenni Chittum.
Jay County coach Jack Wood was as disappointed with his team’s effort as Bradtmiller was happy with the Starfires.
“We’re just not playing together as a team,” he said.
The Patriots matched last season’s win total when they defeated Muncie Central on April 26. Since then they have lost twice to Huntington North and once each to Anderson Highland, Bluffton, Blackford and the Starfires to slip to 6-14.
“Several games ago — after the Anderson Highland game — we thought we were in the right direction,” Wood added. “Now we’re not focused at all. We’re not giving 100 percent as a team.”
Amber Champ walked in the first inning, stole second base and scored on a Katie Alberson single. But, that marked the only score Jay County would get all night.
Facing the 1-0 deficit the Starfires got a leadoff walk from Mertz in the third inning. Kindle Inniger and Jennifer Rybolt followed with back-to-back bunt singles, the second of which scored Mertz as the throw to first base bounced off of Rybolt’s shoulder.
Kayla Coblentz drew a walk to load the bases, and Snyder brought in a run on a fielder’s choice as Inniger beat shortstop Chelsea DeBoy’s throw to the plate. Renee Neuenschwander drove in Rybolt for another run with a single to center field, and Coblentz scored when a grounder by Candice Miller went under Imel’s glove at third base.
The Patriots finally got an out when DeBoy forced out Snyder at home on a Lacey Rhoades grounder. Still, Neuenschwander scored on a sacrifice fly by Shante Miller, and Mertz again loaded the bases with her second walk of the inning.
Inniger then finished off the outburst with a single to center field. She was credited with two RBIs, but the hit cleared the bases as it rolled under Chittum’s glove and all the way to the fence.
South Adams added three more runs on consecutive hits by Coblentz, Snyder, Neuenschwander and Candice Miller in the sixth inning.
Inniger finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run, and Neuenschwander went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Amber Fryback scored twice as a pinch runner for Neuenschwander.
Candice Miller added a couple of RBIs and a run, Coblentz scored twice and Snyder had a run and an RBI.
“The good thing is, you could tell once we started to score a few runs Jay County started to lose a little confidence,” said Bradtmiller. “We’ve been in that position and it’s hard to come back from.”
Neuenschwander kept them from coming back, often getting the Patriots to chase bad pitches as she earned the victory. She allowed one run on four hits in six innings while striking out five and walking two.
Her defense committed just one inconsequential error behind her in the first inning.
“That’s one advantage of throwing her,” said Bradtmiller. “She’s not going to throw everything down the middle. The other team kind of has to guess where the ball is going to be at.”
Jay County had trouble finding the ball, with Alberson recording two of its four hits and its lone RBI. Champ scored the only run and also had a single, and Ashleigh Myers had the other hit.
The bottom four hitters in the Patriot order went a combined 0-for-7 with three strikeouts and did not hit the ball out of the infield.
“We hit before the game and we hit the ball hard,” said Wood. “When we get to the game — and this has happened the last couple of times — we’re not attacking the ball. We’re just not being aggressive.”
Myers suffered the defeat, allowing 11 runs — six earned — on nine hits. She struck out two and walked three in six innings.
Jay County will try to end its slump today when it hosts Anderson at 5 p.m. South Adams will try to keep its momentum rolling when it hosts Woodlan today at 4:30 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
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