By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

A share of the conference title is doubtful. A second place finish is a lock.

While St. Joseph doesn’t have much of a chance to win the Southern Ohio Conference, the Flyers clinched at least a share of second place in the league after blanking the Western Indians 11-0 on Thursday.

“You’re goal is to win the league. But the chances of that happening are slim at best,” said Flyers’ coach Greg Bryant.

“To get at least a share of second is still a pretty successful season for us. We lost a lot of good players from last season so we weren’t sure what we were going to do this year.”

St. Joseph (15-2, 11-2) got 3 runs in each of the first 2 innings.

In the first, Kai Coleman singled, stole second and scored when Elijah Rowe reached on an error. Blake Stuntebeck followed with a double to score Rowe.

Stuntebeck went to third on a wild pitch and scored when a dropped third strike forced the Western cacher Tyler Kerns to throw out the batter at first base.

Matthew Heighton and Brady “Q” Medinger walked to begin the second inning. Heighton went to third on a wild pitch, Medinger stole second and an error on the play scored Heighton. Coleman singled to put runners on the corner and then stole second. Medinger scored on a wild pitch as Coleman went to third.

Rowe grounded out as the run scored.

The Flyers made it 7-0 in the third when Darryn Harvey, Heighton and Medinger all walked and Landon Rowe singled.

St. Joseph created the run rule with 4 run in the fourth inning.

Michael Mahlmeister singled and scored on a double by Wesley Neal. Harvey walked and Neal scored on a throwing error. Harvey stole second and went to third on a passed ball.

Medinger singled to drive in Harvey. Coleman and Mark Hodges walked to load the bases and Medinger scored on a passed ball.

Mahlmeister was the first of 3 pitchers and got the win. He went 2 innings striking out one and walking 2.

Elijah Rowe went 1.1 innings, fanned one and walked 3 while Coleman worked 1.2 innings, gave up one hit, struck out 3 and did not walk a batter.

The Flyers had 9 hits with Stuntebeck going 2-3 with a double and RBI, Coleman 2-3, Neal and Medinger 1-1 with an RBI, Mahlmeister 1-2 with an RBI, Brown 1-2 and Landon Rowe 1-3 with an RBI

Western   000 00 = 0 3 3

St. Joseph 331 4x = 11 9 1

Drew Henderson, Micky Bennett (3), Luke Smith (4) and Tyler Kerns. Michael Mahlmeister, Elijah Rowe (3), Kai Coleman (4) and Drew Brown, Michael Mahlmeister (4). W-Mahlmeister (IP-2.0, H-2, R-0, K-1, BB-2, WP-1). Rowe (IP-1.1, H-0, R-0, K-1, BB-3), Coleman (IP-1.2, H-1, R-0, K-3, BB-0, WP-1).  L-Henderson (IP-2.0, H-5, R-7, ER-5, K-4, BB-6, WP-4). Bennett (IP-1.1, H-4, R-4, ER-4, K-2, BB-2), Smith (IP-0.2, H-0, R-0, K-0, BB-1). Hitting-WHS: Chase Carter 2-3, Wessley Satterfield 1-1; St.J: Kai Coleman 2-3, Landon Rowe 1-3 RBI, Blake Stuntebeck 2-3 2B RBI, Michael Mahlmeister 1-2 RBI, Drew Brown 1-2, Wesley Neal 1-1 RBI, Brady Medinger 1-1 RBI.