Rally helps Jay beat Norwell

OSSIAN — Pain and patience helped the Patriots even the score.

A ground out won the game.

A hit by pitch and walk with bases loaded tied the game in the sixth inning, and an RBI ground out proved to be the difference in a three-run frame for the Jay County High School baseball team as it rallied past the sectional rival Norwell Knights on Tuesday, 5-4.

Jay County (7-1) trailed 4-2 heading into the sixth inning before Cameron Henry got hit by a pitch with bases loaded to get the Patriots within one.

Ryan Schlechty drew a walk to tie the score, and Wyatt Geesaman grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Gabe Faulkner as the eventual game-winning run.

Norwell, which received votes in the most recent Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 3A poll, scored a run in the first inning and three more in the third. But Daniel Fugiett and Faulkner both had RBI singles in the second to cut the margin in half ahead of the decisive sixth inning.

Michael Schlechty doubled and singled while Fugiett finished with a pair of singles.

Noah Arbuckle got the win, allowing four earned runs on 10 hits, including a pair of home runs. He struck out 11 in the complete-game effort.

Indians perfect

FORT RECOVERY — Three sophomore pitchers combined to throw a five-inning perfect game as the Fort Recovery baseball team beat the New Knoxville Rangers on Tuesday, 10-0.

Ryne Post and Riley Will each struck out five batters apiece in two innings of work. Cobe Wendel struck out two of the three batters he faced to complete the combined perfect game.

The offense for the Indians (9-4, 4-0 Midwest Athletic Conference) scored four runs each of the first and third innings, sandwiched around a two-run second frame.

Ian Homan led the team with a pair of doubles. Joe Homan and Wendel both had a single and knocked in a pair of runs. Post and Will also singled for the Indians, who are defending MAC champions and in a tie for first with the Coldwater Cavaliers. 

Fort Recovery hosts Coldwater at 5 p.m. Thursday.

Tribe blasts Rockets

FORT RECOVERY — The Fort Recovery softball team hit for the team cycle on Tuesday as it blasted its way past the Anna Rockets in five innings, 15-4. 

After falling behind 4-0 heading to the bottom of the second inning, Fort Recovery (8-8) took the lead with a six-run frame and then put the game well out of reach in the bottom of the third with seven more runs.

Brenna Homan had three hits, including her first home run of the season, and drove in four runs for the Indians. Lydia Wenning tripled, singled and knocked in two RBIs. Hannah Knapke finished with a double, two singles and two RBIs, and Jackie Homan doubled, singled and drove in a run.

Chloey Grisez collected a pair of singles, as Macy Day, Rachel Thien and Kim Hart also had singles.

Jackie Homan allowed four runs — one earned — on eight hits. She struck out three and didn’t issue a walk to get the win.

FR hangs on

BERNE — An 10-0 lead was enough cushion for the Fort Recovery junior varsity baseball team in a 12-9 win over South Adams on Tuesday.

Fort Recovery (2-0) scored six times in the first inning and added four more in the top of the fourth. Leading 12-5 heading into the seventh, the Indians allowed South Adams (2-4) to score four runs, but the home team couldn’t make up the early hole.

Kendrick Wendel doubled, hit three singles and drove in three runs to lead the Indians. Korbin Dues chipped in two doubles and an RBI.

Tommy Herman of South Adams hit a double and two singles. Luke Yoder knocked in three runs on three singles, while Tyler Yoder also had a pair of singles.

Stars win

FORT WAYNE — South Adams’ softball team got past the Homestead Spartans on Tuesday for a 4-2 victory.

The Class 2A No. 9 Starfires (7-1) lost their one-run lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, but responded with three runs in the sixth that the Spartans could not match.

Jenna Myers, Taylor Augsburger and Kristen Wynn had two hits apiece for South Adams, with Wynn driving in two runs. Augsburger also knocked in an RBI.

Kayla LeFever and Emilie Hammell also had hits for South Adams.

Anna Nussbaum pitched South Adams to the victory. Despite giving up five hits, including a home run, she allowed two earned runs and struck out 10 in the complete-game outing.

Jay falls to Tigers

A nine-run fourth inning proved costly for the Jay County junior varsity baseball team Tuesday in a 16-8 loss to the Bluffton Tigers.

Jay County (3-4) and Bluffton were tied at three apiece before the Tigers quadrupled their score. The Patriots answered with three runs in the home half of the inning but never caught up as Bluffton scored twice in each of the next two innings as well.

Logan McGinnis doubled and drove in a run for Jay County. Darius Esparza and Caleb Hale each collected two hits and an RBI. Drew Powers and Lane Chapman had singles as well.

Crosby Heniser took the loss. He gave up seven runs — four earned — on three hits in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked a half dozen.