Another early ending

Inclement weather kept the Patriots off the field Saturday.

Based on the two games they’ve played, that may have been a saving grace for their opponent.

On a chilly, windy Monday, the Jay County High School softball team turned in another dominant effort as it defeated the visiting Blackford Bruins 10-0 in five innings.

"I feel really good,” said JCHS senior Jaelynn Lykins, who finished with three hits and three RBIs including the game-ender. “It was fun. It was cold, but it was a really good game."

The Patriots beat Marion in their season opener Thursday and have now outscored their opponents by a combined 30-0.

"We'll take that," said Jay County coach Doug Arbuckle.

"I thought the girls stayed mentally tough through the whole game,” he added. “(Starting pitcher) Mallory (Winner) struggled a little bit in the first inning but then she settled down. We put runs up in every inning, so that's key. If we can do that and hit all the way through the lineup ... that's just key for us to be able to have that balance. Defense played well with the plays they had to make."

After the win over Marion, the team took a day off Friday, then had its Saturday game against Winchester rained out ahead of its regular off day Sunday.

"So three days off,” Arbuckle said. “We came out, I thought we were mentally sharp and focused. Good win for us tonight."

The Patriots (2-0) nickeled and dimed their way through the first four innings, scoring once in the first and third and twice in the second and fourth. Then they feasted when Blackford (0-1) pulled starting pitcher Serenity Lehman in the fifth.

Winner singled to start the bottom of the fifth inning, Hallie Schwieterman was hit by a pitch and Carly Trinidad reached base on an error. Freshman Ava Bice then delivered a two-run single to right field — it was her third hit of the game and gave her three RBIs — to put the home team up 8-0.

After a strikeout and a walk, freshman shortstop Brenna Ruble got the Patriots within one run of victory with an RBI ground out. Then Lykins delivered, notching her third hit and third RBI with a walk-off single that plated Bice.

"I was just keeping my head clear, not trying to overthink it, not trying to do too much,” said Lykins. “Just put the ball in play and it can do a lot. ... I think we all hit really well."

The four-run fifth inning in which the Bruins recorded just one out put the cap on a strong day at the plate for JCHS. In addition to the third hits and three RBIs apiece from Lykins and Bice, Ruble also drove in three runs.

The bulk of the Patriots scoring came from its No. 6 through 8 spots in the order as Schwieterman came across the plate three times and Trinidad and Bice tallied two runs apiece.

Schwieterman had an individual highlight, as she smacked a solo home run to right field in the third inning between drawing a walk in the second and getting hit by a pitch in the fifth.

The offense that stretched across the innings and the lineup supported a strong pitching performance from Winner, who escaped early trouble to stymie the Bruin bats.

Blackford had a chance to score first as Raegan Ridgway opened the season by working Winner for a walk. Coach Scott Cagle called for a sacrifice bunt. Adrianna Hall tried to get the ball down, but instead popped it up and Lykins was able to step out from behind the plate to make the play for the first out. It proved costly, as Gracie Townsend-Strait followed with a single up the middle.

Lykins recorded a second put-out on a Lehman hit just in front of home plate before Kinze Clamme walked to load the bases. A walk or a hit would have put the Bruins ahead, but Winner was able to strike out Wilson to end the threat.

"That could have been a difference if she laid that down,” said Cagle. “That may have been a difference. Just momentum."

The strikeout to close the first inning was the first of 11 straight outs Winner recorded. The ball never left the infield for the Bruins again as their only baserunner after the first inning came thanks to a Jordynn Gephart walk in the top of the fifth inning.

Winner went the distance for the victory, shutting out the Bruins on a walk and three hits while striking out six batters.

"I think she adjusted well to what the umpire was giving her, pitched to his strike zone a little bit more, kept the ball down low,” said Arbuckle. “And what balls they did hit, a majority of them were ground balls that we were able to field and make the outs. That's what a good pitcher's gonna do."

Lehman took the loss, giving up six runs on seven hits and three walks in four innings.