T-L Photo/SETH STASKEY BELLAIRE PITCHER Jake Heatherington (right) is congratulated by catcher Kaden Banal after he threw a gem Monday afternoon, in Neffs, against Union Local.

NEFFS – The Jets were grounded Monday afternoon on the strength of the talented right arm of Jake Heatherington.

Bellaire’s senior mound dandy spun a gem against Union Local in cold and windy conditions. Heatherington struck out 13, yielded just three hits and walked only two in leading the Big Reds to a 12-0 five-inning triumph.

If his pitching dominance wasn’t enough, Heatherington also sparkled with the bat. He slammed a triple, double and single, knocking in three teammates.

Bellaire improved to 5-6 on the season while Union Local dropped to 4-9. The two teams return to action Wednesday against each other at Morristown.

“My hitting. It was nice to have a triple, double and single,” Heatherington responded when asked what he was more pleased with his hitting or pitching. “It was also nice to get great run support, especially early on (five runs in first inning.)

“But I did feel good on the mound. The cold weather really wasn’t a problem,” he added. “I credit my teammates. They were super supportive in the field and at the plate.”

After Heatherington struck out the side in the first, Bellaire wasted no time in taking control.

Jakob Dowling opened with a single. He scored on a UL error. Chance Maffe followed with a single. Another Jet miscue allowed the second Big Red to score before Heatherington launched a triple to deep left center, plating two more runs. The fifth Red run came home on UL’s fourth error in the inning.

Bellaire added a single tally in the second. Maffe coaxed a walk and eventually scored on another UL error.

The hosts kicked the game into mercy-rule mode with a six-run fourth inning.

Heatherington delivered a double and single in the frame, knocking in one. Luke Heatherington drove in two more with a double while Dowling plated a pair with a single. Maffe also produced a run-scoring single.

All told, Bellaire had 12 hits on the day.

“What can you say about Jake that hasn’t already been said? He pitched another great game,” Bellaire first-year skipper Bailey McGrath offered. “Jake is a tremendous competitor. He also had a nice game at the plate.

“This is the type of game we have been waiting for. We really hit the ball well today,” he added. “We got contributions throughout the lineup. It was a good day for us.”

UL’s three hits — all singles — came off the bats of Alex Moore, Billy Schumacher and Dylan Higgenbotham. Two of those hits came in the last inning.

The Jets were their own worst enemy, committing six errors on the day.

“We ran into a very good pitcher today. Jake Heatherington was impressive,” UL rookie boss Jim Hess noted. “But we didn’t do ourselves any favors. We gave them seven outs in the first inning and four or five more in the second.

“We had really been getting better but the last couple games we haven’t played like we are capable of he said,” he added. “But we will get back to work tomorrow. We got a day off and will get a lot of batting and fielding work in.”

Clay Akers, the first of three UL hurlers, took the loss. He struck out three and walked one before exiting in favor of Schumacher in the third. Brock Kinney relieved in the fourth.

Maffe and Heatherington led the winning attack with three hits each. Dowling added a pair.