DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
DECATUR – Aces from both teams met on the diamond Tuesday as Adams Central started Cade Van De Weg and Bellmont went with Beau Baker in the big rivalry game between the two schools and it was the Jets who got the better of their northern neighbors, taking advantage of 14 Bellmont strikeouts to beat the Braves, 4-0.
Both teams ended the contest with 14 strikeouts, with Baker picking up nine and Layne LeMaster five more in relief, but it was a pair of big, two-run hits that made the difference in the game for the visitors.
Reece Hammond singled in the first to score two runs and Jacob Miller homered in the third to account for all the scoring in the game.
Jamison Roach and Ethan Funk each had two hits for the Jets in the winning effort. Funk was on base and scored in both of the rallies for the Jets. He raised his batting average to a team-leading .455 with his 2-for-2 night. He also walked twice.
Van De Weg was superb, allowing just four singles in the game. His defense made two errors behind him, but he used the K to get out of a couple of jams.
The Braves put two on with none out in the second, trying to find a response to the two runs scored by Adams Central in the prior inning. Van De Weg clamped down and struck out the side to end the rally.
The AC ace stranded another runner in scoring position with a strikeout to get out of the third and he left them loaded in the fourth with a strikeout, as well.
Van De Weg was especially effective later in the game. He retired nine of the final ten batters he faced, allowing only a Gavin Krull single in the seventh.
The Jets will face Canterbury at home Thursday, while Bellmont will travel to Homestead that night.
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