Jay softball starts strong

The Patriots had to wait nearly a week to get their season underway.

It was worth the wait as they got off on the right foot.

After a pair of rainouts throughout the week, Jay County High School’s softball team opened up the 2024 season with a pair of wins over the Blackford Bruins on Saturday 9-0, 7-1.

Mallory Winner shut down the Bruins (2-0) only allowing four hits over the seven-inning game.

The Patriots (2-0) had an offensive explosion in the third inning, aided by three Blackford errors. Jaelyn Lykins and Mady Fraley both hit RBI doubles in the inning. Jozey Shimp, Morgan Missicano and Carley Trinidad all drove in a run as well.

Trinidad manned the circle in game No. 2, only allowing one run on eight hits through seven innings.

Shimp fueled the offense with a three-run home run in the sixth inning that put the Patriots up 6-1. Cali Yates also drove in multiple runs despite not getting a hit.

Late game runs

The Jay County baseball team stumbled out of the gate as it dropped a pair of games to the Mississinewa Indians on Saturday 8-5, 11-6.

Kade Sommers only gave up one run over four innings of work in the first game, but seven runs over the final two frames gave the Indians (2-0) a commanding lead.

JCHS (0-2) put up some resistance in the bottom of the seventh with five runs, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit. Jackson Edwards, Drew Schemenaur and Sommers all drove in runs on singles in the inning.

A six-run seventh inning was the difference maker in the second game. Trailing by only two runs going into the final inning, Sam Myers surrendered the runs on a single, a double, a pair of groundouts and two errors.

Tough start

YORKTOWN — The Jay County boys golf team finished with 372 strokes Saturday to place 16th out of 18 teams at the Yorktown Invitational.

The Center Grove red ran away with first place after shooting a 285, which was three strokes under par as a team.

Caleb DeRome led the way for the Patriots with a score of 83 over 18 holes. Gage Sims wasn’t far behind with a score of 85.

Cody DeHoff was the only Jay County golfer to finish with less than 100 strokes, as he shot a 92.

Isaac Homan rounded out the scoring in his first varsity match by shooting a 112.

Liam Garringer’s 117 strokes did not qualify for the team score.