JCHS blasts Devils in finale

RICHMOND — Every team wants to carry some momentum into the postseason.

The Patriots couldn’t have been much more dominant in their final tune-up Friday.

The Jay County High School softball team closed the regular season by obliterating the host Richmond Red Devils 24-0 in five innings.

After a scoreless first inning, the Patriots (20-5) racked up 13 runs over the next two and then posted 11 in the fifth. They combined for 23 hits, including home runs from Mallory Winner, Kiley Williams and Jozey Shimp.

Renna Schwieterman led the display of offensive prowess, going 5-for-5 with four runs and a pair of RBIs. Riah Champ had a double, a triple, four RBIs and three runs.

Williams matched Champ with four RBIs and Janae Jacobs and Winner added three apiece. Jaelyn Lykins, Taylor Brown and Winner each had three hits, and Jacobs and Winner drove in three runs apiece.

Brown limited Richmond to just three hits while striking out two in the shutout.

Jay County has racked up the second-most wins in school history, trailing only the 2014 squad that finished at 23-2. The team heads into tournament play on a four-game winning streak and will take on Centerville — the Bulldogs handed JCHS its first loss of the season 10-8 on April 15?— in the opening round of the Class 3A?sectional 24 tournament at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Delta.