Patriots top Indians, 7-2

FORT RECOVERY — The Patriots got production from the majority of the lineup.
The Indians only had one hit.
Jay County High School’s softball team had seven of its starting nine players record hits — including three from leadoff hitter Courtney Finnerty — in a 7-2 victory Tuesday against state-line rivals Fort Recovery.
“We need that production,” said JCHS coach Doug Arbuckle, whose team has won three straight games after losing four of its first five. “We can’t just depend on three or four players to contribute every game. We need everybody to do something at some point in the ball game.”
Finnerty, Jay County’s normal No. 2 hitter who moved up a spot because of Chloe Steigerwalt’s illness, ripped a double to left field to open the game.
Senior Catherine Dunn reached on an error two batters later, and they came around to score on passed balls to give Jay County (4-4) an early 2-0 lead.
The Patriots extended their lead with three runs in the fifth. Freshman Chloe Trissel recorded her first career hit, drilling an 0-1 pitch to the gap in right center field. Finnerty followed with the second of her three hits, and two batters later Dunn singled to drive in Trissel.
“Chloe has been struggling,” Arbuckle said. She had gone hitless in her previous four at bats. “She’s put in some extra at bats in (batting practice). She hit the ball hard twice tonight. Hopefully that’s a big confidence thing for her also.”
Gabby Hart, who had a home run in each of the previous three games, launched Chelsea Timmerman’s next pitch toward deep center field.
Hart and the Patriot dugout all thought she had her fourth home run of the season, but the ball hit the bottom of the fence for a double. Both Finnerty and Dunn scored on the play for a 5-0 Jay County lead.
Timmerman took the loss, allowing seven runs — five earned — on seven hits while walking two and striking out six.
Fort Recovery (0-5), which has lost 24 straight games, finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth inning. Lauren Gehle reached on an error and advanced to third on consecutive passed balls. Two batters later Audra Metzger hit the ball to JCHS shortstop Kady Finnerty, who opted to go home instead of trying for the out at first. Her throw to Hart behind the plate wasn’t in time. Metzger later came around to score on a stolen base and two more passed balls.
“I told the girls they have to be focused and wait on their count,” first-year FRHS coach Taylor Guggenbiller said. “They were being selective. I just told them to be patient.”
In all, the Indians drew nine walks — four in the fifth inning alone — off JCHS pitcher Dunn. On the flipside, however, Dunn struck out 10 Indians, including the side in the second inning after allowing a leadoff walk.
“Overall, I was pleased with Catherine,” Arbuckle said. “That’s all we ask for her in a game like this … try to throw the ball across the plate and let your defense play behind you.
“For her to get 10 Ks, your defense only has to make 11 outs. She’s doing half the work for them on the mound.”
Even with Dunn’s high number of walks, Fort Recovery wasn’t able to capitalize. The Tribe left runners on base in every inning, including two in both the first and fifth. Devin Post tallied the only hit for the Indians in the third, but like so many other Indians she was left stranded. The Tribe left nine runners on base.
Jay County tacked on two more insurance runs in the sixth inning. Randi Auker and McKayla Norris reached on an error and walk respectively, and Auker came around to score on passed balls. Then Courtney Finnerty hit an RBI single up the middle to drive in Norris.
“The girls put some things together,” Arbuckle said. “We actually scored some runs without hitting home runs. That’s a plus when we can do that.”