DELPHOS — Jefferson’s baseball team got out the bats Thursday night and shellacked Lima Central Catholic 15-6 in the Northwest Conference opener at Wildcat Field.

    LCC (3-3, 0-1 NWC) started off the first inning against Jefferson starter Mike Rahrig (1-0; 5 IPs, 6 hits, 5 runs, 3 strikeouts) with 2 hits up the middle by Sean Gronas (2-for-5) and Trevor Kottenbrock. TJ Sims grounded out to first baseman Craig Carder and advanced the runners. Cody McCullough walked to load the bases. Cam Magnette hit a ball to left to score Gronas. Mark Hawk reached first on an error to score Kottenbrock. The inning ended in a Sean Fisher to Aaron Schuerman to Carder routine double play.

    Jefferson came back in the first inning with a hard ground out by Cory Bastian (2-for-5, 2 doubles), followed by a triple to centerfield by Fisher (3-for-5, 3 runs). Schuerman (2-for-3, 3 runs, 2 RBIs) popped out for the second out. Josh Miller (2-for-4, 2 runs, 3 ribbies; 2 doubles) recorded an RBI when he hit a double to centerfield to score Fisher. Ryan Kortokrax (2-for-4, 2 runs) hit a single to left and Miller scored on a base hit to right field by Matt Gerdeman (2-for-4) for a 3-2 lead.

    With one out in the third, Sims reached on an error. 3 hits in a row followed by McCullough, Magnette and Hawk to score Sims. McCullough scored on a Mike Snyder walk. This inning also ended in a double play by the Fisher-Schuerman-Carder combination.

   Fisher led off the home half with a single, then stole second. He scored on a double by Schuerman. Miller lined out to left field. Schuerman scored on a single to left by Kortokrax. Gerdeman followed with a base hit. Kortokrax scored on a base hit by Matt Antalis. Gerdeman would eventually score when Antalis lured a throw to second on a steal.  Gerdeman was safe at home on an errant throw to the plate.

   Nick Zerante led off the LCC fourth inning off with a walk and would later score an unearned run due to an infield error.

   Bastian led off the Delphos inning with a double to center. With one out, Schuerman hit a triple to center to score Bastian. Schuerman later scored on a passed ball.

   Craig Carder entered the game to pitch for the hosts in the sixth inning. LCC’s Billy Taflinger pinch-hit for a walk and later scored after hits by Gronas and Sims.

   In the home half, the Wildcats would put the game out of reach scoring 6 more runs. Fisher began the inning with a double to center and went to third on a wild pitch. Schuerman walked, then stole second. Both men scored on a Miller double to left. Kortokrax reached 1st after a hard ground ball to third base. Both men moved up after a wild pitch. Taylor Hesseling singled to left to score Miller. Adam Wollenhaupt went in to pinch-run at 1st base. Carder singled to the left side to score Kortokrax. Wollenhaupt benefited from two errant throws on the play to come around to score and move Carder to second. Carder then scored on a double by Bastian.

   Schuerman came in to pitch and close the game with a 3-batter inning.

   The Wildcats (2-0, 1-0) host Bath for an 11 a.m. doubleheader Saturday.