Blue Jays learn importance of one-run games

CLARINDA – The Villisca baseball team split their games against Adair-Casey and Clarinda Academy last week.

Wednesday, the Blue Jays traveled to Adair-Casey where they took a one run lead into the seventh inning.

Zach Adcock pitched the first six innings, giving up seven earned runs on 12 hits, striking out five batters.

Chris Schaaf, Kyle Rhamy, Jake Eblen, and Adcock led Villisca at the plate, combining for eight of the Blue Jays’ 12 hits.

Eblen and Adcock were each two of three, while Eblen drove in two of Villisca’s runs.

The Blue Jays also manufactured most of their runs, stealing 12 bases.

In the bottom of the seventh, Villisca put Eblen on the mound to close out the game leading 9-8.

Eblen gave up three hits and two earned runs to be saddled with the loss.

Friday, the Blue Jays traveled to Clarinda to play the Clarinda Academy Eagles.

Again, Villisca lost the lead late in the game as Randy Headrick doubled in a run on a pinch hit in the fifth.

Eblen took the mound again in the sixth, where he struck out two batters in one an two-thirds innings pitched.

When Eblen found himself in trouble, walking the bases loaded with two outs in the seventh, Head Coach T.J. Quick called for Adcock to close out the game. Adcock picked up the save, getting his only batter out, earning the Blue Jays their second win of the season.

Schaaf led the Blue Jays batting three of four with a triple, scoring two runs in the win.

Nick Eblen also scored two runs for the Blue Jays, stealing four bases in the win over the Eagles.