NEW BLOOMFIELD - The Jefferson City Jays showcased Thursday night what they learned the previous day in the batting cages.
The Jays finished the doubleheader with a combined 14 hits in just seven innings of play, winning 19-2 and 12-2 against the New Bloomfield Wildcats.
"We just really got back to the basics," Jays coach Kyle Lasley said. "Just kind of breaking down a few different things and critiquing going on from the coaches. Some small details."
Grant Straub sent the Jays' first extra-base hit to deep center field in the third inning of Game 1, adding a pair of runs for a 13-0 lead.
It was part of an 11-run inning that concluded with a 19-0 cushion.
Robbie Bradley and Nash Quick each singled for the Wildcats in the bottom half of the inning, with Bradley eventually scoring on a bases-loaded walks and Quick crossing the plate when Lucas Buscher reached on an error.
Straub got the win on the mound for the Jays, striking out six and walking three while allowing just those two singles.
A soon-to-be senior for the Jays saw his work in Wednesday's hitting session pay off Thursday. Jacob Duke bounced a pair of RBI singles to right field in Game 1 from the No. 6 spot in the lineup.
In Game 2, Duke moved up to the cleanup spot and cleared the bases in the third inning by smacking a deep fly ball to right field for a triple. He added a fourth RBI with a bases-loaded walk in the fourth.
"We have him a little bit wider and his stance, trying to stay on his legs a little bit more," Lasley said. "And we've got him swinging with two hands on the bat just to get more bat control. Before he was kind of just a free swinger, and now he has better bat control and he's squaring more balls up. He's put in a ton of time in the cages."
Brayden Whittle and Eli Moreland each added two hits in Game 2.
Moreland singled twice, including a line drive to left field to make the score 8-2.
Whittle contributed the Jays' first and last RBI of the game. He doubled to deep left field in the second inning to tie the game at 1 and sent his second double to right field in the fourth to end the game by run rule.
Jeremy Parks earned the win on the mound, allowing two runs and four hits with five strikeouts in three innings. Taylor Hopkins moved from shortstop to the mound in the fourth, striking out each batter he faced.
"This spring he would have kind of a closer for us," Lasley said. "A guy who would maybe eat up an inning or two in the middle of a game. It's hard to take him off shortstop, but he does throw the ball really well."
The Jays will conclude summer league play next week, hosting Fulton on Tuesday and Rock Bridge on Thursday.
"We come back with a big one on Thursday against Rock Bridge, so we've got start getting tuned in for that," Lasley said.
Both doubleheaders will start at 6 p.m. at Vivion Field.