DELPHOS — The Kalida baseball team has started off slow this season, due to 11 members of their squad having been part of their Division IV state-runner-up boys basketball team.

The Jefferson team, who made it to the regionals a year ago, seems to be rounding into shape in 2009.

The host Jeffcats continued to play solid hardball, downing Kalida 7-2 in a non-conference encounter Friday night at Wildcat Field in Delphos.

The game was originally scheduled to be the opener for both teams March 30 but was pushed back to Friday due to the length of Kalida’s basketball season.

Senior right-hander Josh Miller (2-0) pitched a solid 5 2/3 innings, surrendering four hits and a pair of earned runs. He issued three bases-on-balls and fanned seven.

Junior Craig Carder tossed an inning and a third of 1-hit ball, recording one strikeout and giving up one free pass for his first save.

The Red and White (6-1) jumped on top with a run in the bottom of the first inning and added two more in the second to build a 3-0 lead.

Kalida (1-2) got its only two tallies in the top of the third.

The host Wildcats put it away with a 4 spot in the fifth.

Niemeyer (0-1) took the loss for the Maroon and Gold, ceding seven hits and three runs (1 earned) in five innings of work. He whiffed three and walked one.

Seniors Sean Fisher (1 run, 1 RBI) and Cory Bastian went 2-for-4 for Jefferson, while 12th-grader Josh Miller (1 run, 1 ribbie) went 2-for-3 and classmate Matt Antalis went 1-for-3 (1 run) with a pair of runs batted in.

Both teams return to the diamond today. Jefferson treks to Leipsic for a high noon start, while Kalida also hits the road for a twin-bill at McComb. Game 1 starts at noon.

Kalida    0 0 2     0 0 0     0 - 2 5 3

Jefferson    1 2 0     0 4 0     x - 7 9 2

WP: Josh Miller (2-0); Save: Craig Carder (1); LP: Niemeyer (0-1). 2B: Schnipke (Kalida).