{"id":15294,"date":"2024-04-26T06:28:58","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T10:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/?p=15294"},"modified":"2024-04-26T11:56:14","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T15:56:14","slug":"vazquez-phillips-team-up-to-knock-off-jets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/26\/vazquez-phillips-team-up-to-knock-off-jets\/","title":{"rendered":"Vazquez, Phillips team up to knock off Jets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

RANDY HISNER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WZBD.com<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MONROE – Zedrian Vazquez and Aiden Phillips combined on a four-hitter to lead Jay County to a 7-1 victory over Adams Central Thursday night at the Jets\u2019 field in a key ACAC baseball matchup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The win was the Patriots\u2019 seventh in a row after opening the season with five straight losses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jay County\u2019s four-run fifth inning broke open a pitching duel between Vazquez and the Jets\u2019 Cade Van De Weg to put the Pats up 5-0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jamison Roach looks for a hit against Jay County Thursday night. (Photo by Randy Hisner)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Van De Weg, who had a no-hitter through four innings, was only one strike from escaping the fifth unscathed. After striking out Kade Sommers to open the inning and yielding a line-drive single to Grant Wendel and an infield hit to Dakota Rowles, he got Jackson Edwards to pop up a suicide squeeze attempt for the second out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then he hit Andrew Schemenaur to load the bases. He took AJ Myers to a 2-2 count before the Patriots\u2019 shortstop slammed a line drive to left center, scoring Wendel and Rowles. A walk to Parker Nichols loaded the bases again, and Ryne Goldsworthy hit a sharp grounder between third and short to drive in Brady Jetmore (courtesy running for Schemenaur) and Myers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Pats had scored their first run without a hit in the second inning. Van De Weg threw a wild pitch on strike three to Nichols, who beat catcher Keegan Bluhm\u2019s throw to first. Goldsworthy walked, moving Nichols to second. Van De Weg\u2019s wild pitch advanced him to third, where he scored on a fielder\u2019s choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lone run for the Jets came in the fifth. Van De Weg started the inning by driving a 3-2 pitch to the right field corner for a double, persuading Jay County coach Todd Farr to bring in Phillips to relieve Vazquez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Zedrian Vazquez delivers a pitch with runners on base against Adams Central Thursday. (Photo by Randy Hisner)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Phillips walked Jack Hamilton, with Van De Weg dashing to third when ball four got past Shemenaur. Trevor Currie\u2019s deep fly to center then scored Van De Weg. Phillips recovered to retire Ethan Funk on a comebacker and Dakota Perry on a strikeout to close the inning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Patriots padded their lead in the sixth when Carson Ross, in relief of Van De Weg, loaded the bases with three walks, and Myers, with one out, delivered his second two-run single, a line drive to right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Phillips faced the minimum in the last two innings. The Jets\u2019 Jamison Roach did reach base on an infield hit in the sixth, but a slick 1-6-3 double play cleared the bases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farr liked what he saw from Phillips, who is just a sophomore. \u201cHe\u2019s got a ton of confidence up there on the mound right now and just throws strikes and battles, so I\u2019m just very pleased with where he\u2019s at right now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n