Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

LATHAM — Nobody is perfect, but Jackson Rowe made a gallant effort.
Rowe had not allowed a baserunner until the seventh inning as the St. Joseph Flyers opened the season with a 13-2 romp over the Western Indians in a Southern Ohio Conference game.
Rowe had a no-hitter until the seventh inning when Western scored its two runs. He threw 90 pitches in his six-plus innings and 64 were strikes. He struck out 14, gave up one hit and did not walk a batter.
“That’s the best control Jackson has had in his four seasons. He pitched really well,” said Flyers’ coach Greg Bryant.
Blake Stuntebeck made his pitching debut and gave up a hit, one earned run, stuck out two and did not issue a walk.
The Flyers had five hits with Mike “Corporal” Mahlmeister and Stuntebeck each going 2-for-4. Mahlmeister drove in 3 runs and Stuntebeck had 2 RBI. Rowe doubled in a run while Jimmy Mahlmeister and Matt Sheridan had 2 RBIs each.
“We started a little slow which is to be expected early in the season, but we hit the ball hard and we made the plays in the field,” said Bryant.
The Flyers snapped a scoreless tie in the third inning with 4 runs.
With one out, Elijah Rowe walked, Jimmy Mahlmeister and Matt Sheridan reached on errors for a run, Stuntebeck walked to force in a run and Mike Mahlmeister had a 2-run single.
Drew Brown and Elijah Rowe walked to start the inning, a balk moved the runners up and Jimmy Mahlmeister grounded out as the run scored.
In the fifth, Jackson Rowe walked, stole second and scored on Stuntebeck’s hit. Stuntebeck then stole second and Mike Mahlmeister had an RBI single for a 7-0 lead.
The Flyers used 3 errors and a wild pitch to score twice in the sixth and got four runs in the seventh on 3 errors, a passed ball third strike, a walked and a hit by Stuntebeck.
Western avoided the shutout in the seventh when Trey Satterfield doubled, Joey Urbina was hit by a pitch and Noah Whitt hit a two-run double.
St. Joseph visits River Valley on Tuesday and hosts East on Wednesday.
St. Joseph 004 122 4 = 13 5 0
Western 000 000 2 = 2 2 8
Jackson Rowe, Blake Stuntebeck and Mike Mahlmeister. Joey Urbina, trey Satterfield (6) and Grooms, Teed (4), Grooms (5). W-Rowe (IP-6, K-14, BB-0, H-1, R-1). Stuntebeck (IP-1, K-2, BB-0, H-1, ER-1). Urbina (IP-5, H-4, R-7, ER-4, K-9, BB-4). Satterfield (IP-2, H-1, K-3, BB-2, R-6, ER-1). Hitting-SJ: Jimmy Mahlmeister 2-RBI, Matt Sheridan 2-RBI, Jackson Rowe 1-4 2B RBI, Blake Stuntebeck 2-4 2-RBI, Michael Mahlmeister (2-4 3-RBI, Elijah Rowe RBI, Brady Medinger RBI). SF-Medinger. Sac-J. Mahlemeister, E. Rowe, Sheridan; W: Trey Satterfield 1-2 2B, Noah Whitt 1-3 2-RBI