Stars top Jay in homer battle (05/27/06)

BERNE — Jay County won the home run contest, hitting three to the South Adams Starfires’ two. But the home team had the last laugh.

Though the Patriots hit all of their homers and scored all of their runs in the final two innings, the South Adams baseball team held on for an 8-6 victory. The loss ended a six-game Jay County winning streak.

The Starfires jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but Jay County pulled to within two with a three-run sixth inning. However, SAHS responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and fought off the Patriots in the final frame.

Mike Farris hit one of the two home runs for the Starfires and led the offense. He had two other hits, including a double, drove in three runs and scored once.

Will Grandlinard added a two-run homer, and Brent Newport had a double and a pair of RBIs. Lukas Baumgartner notched three hits, and Jordan Sharp and Corey LeMaster each scored two runs.

Daniel Bollenbacher got the win in relief, allowing three runs in 12/3 innings. He gave up one hit, walked two and struck out one.

Josh Ludy hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning to pull Jay County (14-9) to within two runs, but that was as close as the visiting team came. He scored a pair of runs.

John Retter hit a two-run homer in the sixth, and Michael Jobe followed with a solo shot. Jobe also had a double in the defeat.

Josh Atkinson suffered the loss, allowing eight runs — six earned — on 10 hits. He walked one and struck out one.[[In-content Ad]]