Jay softball splits final two games

The Patriots struggled against the Vikings on Thursday.

That wasn’t the momentum they wanted going into the tournament, so they turned it around against the Red Devils.

Jay County High School’s varsity softball team dropped Thursday’s game at Huntington North 4-2 before dominating the Richmond Red Devils 14-5 to close out the regular season on Friday.

A three-run fifth inning spelled disaster for the Patriots (14-6) against the Vikings (15-6). Mallory Winner issued two walks and gave up a single to load the bases for HNHS. Then Ava Geiger delivered the fatal blow with a line drive to center field that scored all three runs.

Jay County’s runs came on a single by Carley Trinidad in the fourth inning and a double by Jaelynn Lykins in the sixth.

JCHS got its offense rolling right away against Richmond with two runs in the first inning before piling on five in the second and six in the third.

Riah Champ had a field day at the plate, knocking in four runs and scoring four herself. She smashed a three-run home run in the second inning, doubled in the first and fifth and walked in the third.

Trinidad picked up the win as she went the distance in the circle. She allowed 10 hits and one walk to give up five earned runs, but also struck out seven batters.

Run ends

LIMA, Ohio — The eighth-seeded Fort Recovery softball team couldn’t hold onto a one-run lead as the No. 4 seed Coldwater Cavaliers put up five in the sixth inning to win the OHSAA Division III district opener 10-6 on Thursday hosted by Bath.

The Indians (12-13) held onto a 6-5 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.

Jenna Homan struggled from the circle, surrendering a four-pitch walk to Ava Doll to start the inning. A double by Libby Grieshop gave the Cavaliers (17-11) enough of a threat to tie the game that the Tribe intentionally walked Madison Wendel.

That decision didn’t pay off as Claire Steinke smashed a go-ahead grand slam.

Homan suffered the loss with nine earned runs, 10 hits and six walks.

The Indians’ early lead came from a single run in the first inning and five in the third.

Emma Will and Ella Schoen put up strong days at the plate with four hits, three RBIs and three runs between both of them.

Brown delivers

Leighton Brown came up with a big RBI to lift the Jay County baseball team past the Bellmont Braves 4-3 on Thursday.

The Patriots faced a 3-1 deficit with only six outs remaining. Drew Schemenaur and Sam Myers found ways on with one out. Parker Nichols and Ryne Goldsworthy delivered back-to-back RBI singles to tie the game up.

Aiden Phillps walked to load the bases and Brown hit a ball deep enough to left field to act as a sacrifice fly and score Nichols.

Zedrian Vazquez came in to close out the game for Jay County (12-11) and only allowed one hit to earn the save.

Jackson Edwards picked up the win after holding Bellmont (7-13) scoreless in the sixth inning.

Jay County’s first run came in the first inning, while all three of the Braves’ crossed in the second.