Late offense lifts Starfires

MONROEVILLE — The Starfires had their 3-2 advantage turn into a 6-3 deficit.

They relied on their ace to shut down the Patriots over the final four innings.

The offense rallied for the win.

A six-run sixth inning was the rally the South Adams High School baseball team needed to get a 9-7 win over the host Heritage Patriots on Tuesday.

The Class 2A No. 6 Starfires (10-1, 1-0 Allen County Athletic Conference) jumped on the Patriots from the get-go to the tune of three runs in the top of the first, but the Patriots responded with a pair of runs in the home half of the frame and four more in the third.

Spenser Clark drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning, and AJ Dull smacked a two-run single to tie the game. After a fielder’s choice, Grant Besser ripped a two-run, go-ahead double and Nic Stuber followed with a single to turn a 6-3 deficit into a 9-6 lead.

Besser surrendered an unearned run in the sixth inning, while giving up two hits and a pair of walks in 4 1/3 innings. He also struck out 10 in relief of Collin Shaffer.

Nick Miller contributed two singles, with Tim Davidson, Alex Gorney and Shaffer getting hits as well.

FR stumbles late

MARIA STEIN, Ohio — Fort Recovery’s baseball team stayed with conference rival Marion Local for five innings Tuesday, but a six-run sixth crippled the Indians in an 8-1 loss to the host Flyers.

Marion Local (9-9, 3-3 Midwest Athletic Conference) scored once in each of the first and third innings to build its lead. Fort Recovery (9-6, 4-2 MAC), which has now lost consecutive league games after starting 4-0 in MAC play, trimmed the deficit in half with a run in the top of the fifth.

But the Flyers scored six times, aided by a three-run Brandon Fleck home run, to put the game well out of reach.

Regan Martin tripled and knocked in a run for FRHS, which also got singles from Riley Post and Riley Will. Cobe Wendel, who was hit by a pitch, scored on Martin’s three-bagger.

Kody Shinabery shouldered the loss, surrendering six runs — four earned — on five hits. He struck out four and walked three in five innings.

Patriots tie

The Jay County junior varsity baseball team wasn’t able to hold on to its 6-0 lead after two innings on Tuesday as it played to a 6-6 tie with the Marion Giants after eight innings.

The game was halted because of darkness.

Jay County (3-5-1) scored three runs in the first inning, highlighted by an Austin Curts two-run double, and tacked on three more a frame later on a passed ball, a single and an error.

The lead stood heading to the fourth inning, during which Marion started to cut into the deficit. The Giants scored twice, then added two runs in the fifth and seventh stanzas to tie the game.

Darius Esparza, Drew Powers and Curts all finished with two hits for Jay County. 

Stars get big win

BERNE — A whopping 18 hits and two big innings paced the South Adams junior varsity baseball team in a 13-3 thrashing of the Heritage Patriots on Tuesday.

The Starfires (3-4) scored five times in the first and third innings, while Heritage managed its only two runs in the first half inning.

Luke Yoder and Aaron Timmons finished with a double and three singles apiece. Timmons knocked in two runs while Yoder drove in one. Kam Yoder collected three RBIs on one hit, and Colin Subler contributed two singles and two RBIs.

Tommy Herman and Sam Plattner finished with three and two hits respectively.

Cameron Pogue allowed two unearned runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out eight and walked four.

FR falls to Flyers

FORT RECOVERY — Two runs in two separate innings led to a 4-0 loss for the Fort Recovery junior varsity baseball team on Tuesday against the Marion Local Flyers.

The Indians (3-7) allowed a pair of runs in the second and fourth innings, and were unable to score any of their own.

Brock Dues singled and stole a base for Fort Recovery. Owen Schoen also singled and drew a walk.

Derek Lochtefeld took the loss, allowing four runs — one earned — on seven hits in the complete-game effort. He struck out six and walked one.