Seventh heaven

HARTFORD CITY — An eight-run deficit didn’t faze the Patriots.
Neither did trailing by two facing its final three outs.
The Jay County High School softball team scored seven runs in the top of the seventh inning Monday in an 18-13, come-from-behind victory over the Blackford Bruins.
“I told them when we got down that it was up to them and it was up to their attitude, whether they were going to roll over and play dead or whether they were going to come right back at them,” said JCHS coach Amy Hawbaker, whose team has won five of its last seven games after starting the season with 10 consecutive losses. “Not a single one of them was ready to quit.”
Sophomore Chloe Trissel attributed Jay County’s offensive spark to freshman Kensey Litton, who began the sixth inning with a double and scored on two errors on the same play. It was part of a three-run frame during which the Patriots (5-12) scored three times to get within two, 13-11.
“I definitely give Kensey all the credit for setting the tone that inning,” she said. “After that we all just kind of did our part and followed with base hits and put runs together.”
Litton finished with a double, two singles and two runs.
In the sixth, Trissel followed Litton by reaching on an error and then swiped second base. She scored on a Kady Finnerty single, and then Hart drove in Finnerty one batter later.
Freshman pinch-hitter Rhegan Shimp drew a leadoff walk in the seventh, and was replaced on the basepaths by Catera Gierhart. Litton legged out a bunt single, and they both advanced on stolen bases. Finnerty and Hart both walked for the first run of the inning, then a wild pitch and an error gave Jay County the lead for good.
“We have been talking all year about the word ‘tenacity’ and what that means,” Hawbaker said. “I believe they displayed it today. I think they really get it now.”
The Patriots weren’t quite done yet, as an RBI from Katie Carpenter, a sacrifice fly from Gwen Butcher and a two-run error pushed their lead to 18-13.
Jay County had 10 hits and six RBIs from its first five hitters, which is the type of production Hawbaker said she has been waiting on.
“If we can get the top of our lineup on base we know they can score,” she said. Every spot in the order reached base, all but one scored and seven of the nine had at least one hit. “We scored through the entire lineup tonight. “We were really proud with the way they produced.”
Hart joined Litton with a three-hit evening, and she drove in three runs. Emily Corn, Finnerty and Carpenter each had a pair of hits.
Defensively, however, the Patriots had one rough inning.
With a 5-3 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth, Jay County committed six errors that led to 10 runs and a 13-5 lead for Blackford.

The Bruins sent 14 batters to the plate and drew six walks — three of which with bases loaded — that helped chase JCHS starter McKayla Norris from the game. She allowed eight runs — six earned — on six walks, then gave way to Butcher, a freshman.
The youngster had a tough start to her outing, walking the first two batters and allowing the only two hits of the inning to the Bruins. But once the Patriots got out of the frame, the defense settled down, turning inning-ending double plays in each of the final three frames.
“I’m not really sure,” Trissel said of how the defense was able to put the ugly fourth inning in the rearview. She turned two of the Patriots’ four double plays by stepping on third base and rifling across the field. The latter of the two ended the game.
“Somehow we finally came together as a team tonight,” she said.
And despite her team’s one shaky inning, Hawbaker liked what she saw out of her fielders.
“I was very happy with the defense,” she said. “Chloe has come up with so many double plays and gotten us out of a lot of jams this year.”
Butcher earned the win in relief, tossing 3 2/3 innings. She gave up five runs — one earned — on five hits and walked three.
“To come in as a freshman is rough, and to come in when you’re team is down is even rougher,” Hawbaker said. “She had a rough start but she settled down and was able to (settle) down.”