Patriot softball shares ACAC

The Patriots got the help they needed.

They’ve made history.

The Jay County High School softball team secured the first conference championship in program history Friday.

While they played the Wes-Del Warriors in Gaston — and won, 15-3, in six innings — the Adams Central Jets beat the Heritage Patriots 5-1 in Monroe, helping Jay County earn a share of the Allen County Athletic Conference championship.

It’s the first league title, regardless of conference, for the Patriots in school history.

Adams Central’s win against Heritage made a three-way tie atop the ACAC standings at 5-1 with Woodlan and Jay County. A Heritage win would have denied Jay County the championship.

Against Wes-Del, Jay County (14-6) scored twice in the top of the first inning before adding five runs in the second. The Warriors ended the shutout with a three-run third, but the Patriots put the game away with two runs in the fifth and six in the sixth.

Aubrie Schwieterman led the Patriot offense, which racked up 16 hits, with a triple, a double and two singles. She also contributed three RBIs.

Rieley Brewster doubled, singled and drove in two runs, while Olivia Bright hit a double and two singles with an RBI. Mady Fraley contributed two hits and a pair of RBIs.

Taylor Brown earned the win. She allowed three runs — two earned — on nine hits with two strikeouts.