RANDY HISNER
WZBD.com
MONROE – Senior lefthander Cade Van De Weg dominated the Woodlan Warriors, striking out eight and allowing only one base runner in four innings, to lead the Adams Central Flying Jets to an 11-1 five-inning victory at the Jets’ field Tuesday in an ACAC matchup.
The win evens the Jets’ overall record at 6-6 and improves their conference record to 2-0. Woodlan lost for the sixth time in a row to fall to 7-8 (0-2 in the ACAC).
Woodlan leadoff hitter Jordan Halsey started the game by hitting a slow roller near the first-base line and beating it out for an infield hit. After that, it was all Van De Weg all the time as the Adams Central ace retired the next 12 batters in a row.
“He came out and hit his spots, got a couple called third strikes on the inside pitch where I just don’t think they were ready for it,” said Adams Central coach Josh Foster. “Today he was on.”
With a 10-0 lead after four innings, Foster brought in Jamison Roach to pitch the fifth and save Van De Weg for possible action later in the week.
The Jets took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Ethan Funk singled down the right field line to drive in leadoff hitter Joey Everett, who had singled and moved to second on Lawson Deathe’s sacrifice bunt.
An eight-run explosion in the third inning by the Jets put the game out of reach. Max Byerly started the rally with a single to center, Joey Everett following with a single to left. With runners on first and second, Foster considered having Deathe bunt them over, but he decided to give Deathe one swing. Deathe made the most of it, slashing a double to the right field corner, driving in Byerly and moving Everett to third. Funk plated Everett and Deathe with a single to right center to make it 4-0.
After Woodlan starter Nolan Meeks retired Van De Weg and Jacob Miller, Reece Hammond reached on an error and Roach beat out an infield single, loading the bases. Hayden Bluhm then drilled a line drive to left, which skittered past a diving Ashtin Jacquay and cleared the bases. Byerly reached base for the second time in the inning, this time on an error by Woodlan first baseman Oliver Adams. Then Everett clubbed his second hit of the inning, a two-run double to the center field fence, and the Jets were up 9-0.
The Jets’ tenth run came in the fourth. Funk singled, went to second on Van De Weg’s single, moved to third on Hammond’s walk, and scored on Roach’s sacrifice fly.
Roach walked a batter and hit three to give up a run in the fifth inning, but the Jets quickly invoked the 10-run mercy rule in the bottom of the inning when Funk’s fourth hit drove in Byerly, who had led off the inning with his second hit.
Funk went four-for-four and drove in four runs. Everett had three hits, drove in two runs, and scored twice. Byerly had two hits and scored three times. The Jets collected 13 hits, the fifth time they have had double-digit hits this season. The barrage raised their team average to .359.
Van De Weg improved his record to 3-3. He has struck out 53 batters in 23.2 innings.
Adams Central will travel to Jay County Thursday for another ACAC contest. Game time is 5:00 P.M.
