By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Blake Stuntebeck was throwing zingers while Mark Hodges was hitting stingers.

The pair did their jobs on Wednesday as the St. Joseph Flyers beat the Portsmouth Clay Panthers 7-1 in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

Stuntebeck threw a complete game 5-hitter as he struck out 14 and walked just 2. The one run was earned.

Hodges continued his strong hitting as he went 2-3 with a double and a run batted in.

“Stuntebeck has been on top of his game pretty much all season except for one inning. He threw the ball well,” said Flyers’ coach Greg Bryant.

“Mark Hodges has been hitting the ball well lately. His first hit was stung.”

The Flyers got on the scoreboard first with a run in the second inning.

With on out, Michael Mahlmeister singled, stole second, took third on a throwing error and scored on Hodges’ base hit.

St. Joseph (9-2, 5-2) got 3 runs in the third to lead 4-0.

Landon Rowe and Kai Coleman walked to start the inning. Both runners stole a base and came home on a hit by Elijah Rowe.

Stuntebeck reached on an error sending Rowe to third and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Mahlmeister.

The lead went to 5-0 in the fourth when Drew Brown singled, Darryn Harvey walked, and Brown went to third on a passed ball. Landon Rowe hit into a double play as the run scored.

Clay (6-5, 6-4) got its only run in the top of the fifth inning when Malachi Loper, Evan Balestra and Mitchell King all singled with 2 outs.

But the Flyers got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Stuntebeck tripled and Mahlmeister singled him home.

St. Joseph got its final run in the sixth when Hodges doubled and scored on an error.

Besides Hodges, Mahlmeister was 2-2 with 2 RBI, Elijah Rowe 1-3 with 2 RBI, Brown 1-3 and Stuntebeck 1-3 with a triple.

On Friday, the Flyers will be at their field but Green will be the home team. St. Joseph goes to Sciotoville East on Saturday.

Ports. Clay 000 010 0 = 1 5 3

St. Joseph 013 111 x = 7 7 1

Carson Porginski, Drew Zuefle (3), Evan Balestra (6) and Mitchell King. Blake Stuntebeck and Michael Mahlmeister. W-Stuntebeck (IP-7.0, H-5, R-1, ER-1, K-14, BB-2). L-Porginski (IP-2.1, H-3, R-4, ER-3, K-2, BB-2). Zuefle (IP-3.1, H-4, R-3, ER-2, K-3, BB-1). Balestra (IP-0.1, H-0, R-0, K-1, BB-0). Hitting-Clay: Carson Porginski 1-2, Malachi Loper 1-3, Evan Balestra 1-4, Mitchell King 1-2, Isaiah Whitt 1-3; St. Joseph: Elijah Rowe 1-3 2-RBI, Blake Stuntebeck 1-3 3B, Michael Mahlmeister 2-2 2-RBI, Mark Hodges 2-3 2B RBI, Drew Brown 1-3.