The St. Joseph Flyers are looking for their bats. In the meantime, they’ve discovered Cody Blackburn and Justin Mahlmeister.

Little used so far, Blackburn and Mahlmeister combined on a five-hitter Wednesday as the Flyers beat the Elliott County (Ky.) Lions 7-5.

“We’re just not hitting the ball real well right now and we’re giving away too many run. They only had two earned runs,” said Flyers’ coach Greg Bryant.

“But fortunately, we got good pitching. Cody threw strikes. He had a little control issue in the second, but we made some errors. He gave us five good innings and Justin came in and gave us two more good innings.”

Blackburn struck out eight, walked four, gave up only three hits and only two of the five runs he allowed were earned.

Elliott County took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first but the Flyers answered in the bottom of the inning.

Payton Blair singled and moved up on an outfield error. He scored on a hit by Anthony Whaley who took second on the throw. Tanner Riley and T.J. Young walked, Joseph Unger was safe on a fielder’s choice for a run and Mahlmeister was safe on an error as Riley scored.

The Lions scored two unearned runs in the second and got a run in the third to lead 5-3, but the Flyers came back with a run in the bottom of the third.

Mahlmeister was safe on an error, Blackburn had a sacrifice bunt and Spencer Schwab singled home courtesy runner Wain Artis.

St. Joseph tied the game fourth when Riley walked, stole second, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on an error.

The Flyers took the lead with a run in the fifth. Levi Hopkins walked, stole second and Blair doubled.

Blair finished 3-4 at the plate.

St. Joseph added an insurance run in the sixth with two outs on a walk to Unger, a stolen base and Mahlmeister’s base hit.

St. Joseph (11-2) hosts Oak Hill Thursday.

Elliott County 221 000 0 = 5 5 4

St. Joseph 301 111 x = 7 6 2

Frazer and Waggoner. Cody Blackburn, Justin Mahlmeister (6) and Justin Mahlmeister, T.J. Young (6). W-Blackburn (8-K, 4-BB, 3-H, 2-ER, 5-R). L-Frazer. 2B-EC: Waggoner; St. Joseph: Payton Blair. Hitting-Elliott: B. Martin 1-3, Z. Martin 1-3, Waggoner 1-4, Smith 1-2, Baldwin 1-2; St. Joseph: Payton Blair 3-4, Anthony Whaley 1-4, Justin Mahlmeiser 1-4, Spencer Schwab 1-3.