Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

St. Joseph seniors Chris Lewis, Cole Willis, Jacob Clark, Trey Young and Zack Kelly know how to celebrate.

The quintet combined for 13 hits and eight runs batted in as the Flyers belted Grace Christian 16-6 in six innings on Monday and gave freshman Clay Willis his first career victory.

“The seniors had 13 of our 20 hits. They did a really good job fueling our offense,” said Flyers’ coach Brent Wirzfeld. “Clay did a good job and our bats came alive.”

Leading the 20-hit barrage was Kelly who went 4-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Cole Willis was 3-5 with a home run and three RBI, Clark went 3-4 and Lewis was 2-3.

Zac McGraw was 3-3 with two doubles and three RBI and Peyton Adkins 2-5 for the Flyers (8-5).

Clay Willis went four innings as he struck out five and walked two. Relievers Chase Walters and Adkins each went one inning with a strikeout.

After Grace Christian got a run in the first inning, St. Joseph (8-5) got two runs in the bottom of the inning.

McGraw doubled and scored on a hit by Cole Willis. Lewis singled and Clark had an RBI double.

The Flyers took command with six runs in the second.

Peyton Adkins singled, Gage Butler was hit by a pitch and McGraw had a two-run single. Cole Willis then crashed a two-run homer.

Lewis singled, Clark doubled, a balk scored a run and Kelly had an RBI single.

Grace Christian got a run in the top of the third but the Flyers got the run right back as McGraw walked, stole second and third and Tre Neal grounded out.

The Defenders scored three runs in the fifth and the Flyers got a run when Issac Walker, Kelly and Young all singled.

Grace Christian added a run in the sixth but the Flyers ended the game with a six-run explosion in the bottom of the frame.

Butler reached on an error and McGraw had an RBI double. Neal followed with a run-scoring double, Lewis walked and Clark singled in a run.

Kelley doubled home two more runs, Adkins singled and Butler was safe again on an error as the final run scored.

St. Joseph will host Portsmouth Clay on Tuesday and visit Portsmouth Notre Dame on Wednesday and Rock Hill on Thursday before hosting Racine Southern at noon on Saturday in the sectional tournament.

Grace Christian 101 031 = 6 5 3

St. Joseph 261 016 = 16 20 4

Elijah Spurlock, Jack Pruitt (2), Grant Goodrich (5) and Chris Harmony. Clay Willis, Chase Walters (5), Peyton Adkins (6) and Zack Kelly, Peyton Adkins (5), Tre Neal (6). W-Willis (K-5, BB-2). Walters (K-1, BB-0). Adkins K-1, BB-0. L-Spurlock. Hiiting—GC: Isaac sadler 2-2, Dylan Enyard 2-3, Joe Wagoner 1-2; SJ: Zac McGraw 3-3 2-2B rbi-3, Tre Neal 1-5, Cole Willis 3-5 HR rbi-3, Chris Lewis 2-3, Jacob Clark 3-4 2-2B rbi-2, Zack Kelly 4-5 2B rbi-3, Trey Young 1-4 rbi, Peyton Adkins 2-5, Issac Walker 1-1.