Fort Recovery picks up a pair of wins

FORT RECOVERY — The Tribe had a small hiccup against Celina on Monday.

Three days later the Indians were faced with their first Midwest Athletic Conference challenge and got just enough offense to get the job done.

Less than 24 hours later, they secured a second victory.

The Fort Recovery High School softball team pulled off back-to-back wins Thursday and Friday, beating Marion Local 3-2 and Fort Loramie 6-1.

Ava Grisez provided FRHS (7-1, 1-0 MAC) with an offensive lift against the Flyers (3-5, 0-1 MAC) by driving in a run on a groundout in the third inning and again with a double in the fifth. She scored what would be the winning run in the fifth on a single by Ella Schoen.

Jenna Homan surrendered a late 2-run home run to Haley Everman, but found a way to finish off MLHS to record the win. She went the distance in the circle, giving up nine hits and striking out eight batters.

She also pitched all seven innings against Fort Loramie (1-4), giving up one unearned run on three hits. She also struck out 10 batters.

The Tribe scored in every inning but the second in the victory. Homan led the team with two RBIs, while she matched Schoen and Layla Armstrong for two hits apiece. Grisez was the only Indian to score two runs.

Jay walked off

ARCADIA — The Jay County baseball team got walked off by Austin Kappes in a 5-4 loss to Hamilton Heights on Thursday.

With the game tied 4-4 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, Gavin Byrum surrendered a single to Josh Newton and a walk to Nick Hulen to put runners on first and second. Byrum worked a favorable 1-2 count against Kappes, but the Huskie managed to put the ball on a line to left field and drive in the winning run.

Byrum was saddled with the loss after giving up two runs on three hits and four walks over two innings of work.

Jay County (0-2) pushed across a pair of runs in the third and sixth innings, while Hamilton Heights (1-1) chipped away for a run in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings before the winning score in the seventh.

Drew Schemenaur, Carter Fugiett and Joseph Geesaman led the offensive drive, each with an RBI double.

Still looking for their first victory, the Patriots will face Mississinewa in a double header today.

Pats drop opener

DECATUR — Jay County’s girls tennis team dropped its season opener to the Bellmont Braves 3-2 on Thursday.

Brenna Bailey secured the victory at the No. 1 singles position over Lelia Jin 6-4,6-4. (Bailey played at the No.1 singles position in two matches last year in the absence of Brenna Haines and split the contests.)

The other point came from doubles-player turned No. 2 singles Meredith Dirksen. The JCHS senior took down Lillian Jin 6-4, 6-1.

Jay County (0-1) dropped the No. 3 singles match as Lilly Johnson was defeated by Emma Fueling 6-1, 6-1.

The No. 2 doubles team of Courtney Harris and Bailey Towell secured a game in each set, but fell to Averie Coats and Alyssa Coffey 6-1, 6-1.

Gretchen Link and Sophia Sprunger lost the No. 1 doubles match 6-0, 6-0 to Ella Ross and Lilyana Suarez.

Junior high wins

The Jay County Junior High School grade baseball teams swept Madison-Grant on Thursday.

The seventh grade team (1-0) edged out a 6-5 victory over the Argylls, while the eighth graders (1-0) had no trouble in their 10-0 win.

Eli Westgerdes led the offensive effort for the seventh grade team with a pair of RBIs, while Roman Clamme, Jaylen Brown and Jenson Edwards added one each.

Starting pitcher Andrew Myers earned the win after holding Madison-Grant scoreless in the first inning and getting run support in the bottom half.

Rayden Sollars came through for the eighth grade team with a double and a single that drove in four runs. Brady Millspaugh also notched an RBI and scored a run in the win.

Brody Collins earned the win in one inning of work before the Patriots put up five runs in the bottom of the first.