NEW ALBANY — Opposing pitchers need to take notice when they face Jeffersonville this season. If they rely too much on fastballs to try to get the Red Devils out, expect to take some lumps.

Class 4A No. 5 Jeff blasted three home runs to defeat Class 4A No. 7 New Albany 8-2 on Wednesday night at Mt. Tabor Field.

“Every win is a big win, but I think it’s more of a big win for the people in the stands,” Red Devil head coach Derek Ellis said. “When it’s Jeff versus New Albany, there’s a little something extra on the line.”

Unlike his nine-inning, 12-strikeout outing versus Floyd Central on April 13, New Albany starter Chase Rudy did not solid command of his breaking pitch and had to resort to throwing plenty of fastballs. As a result, the Red Devils collected seven of their eight runs and nine of their 11 hits off the right-hander. Rudy struck out six and walked two in six-plus innings.

“Chase really struggled with his command tonight. He had no breaking ball,” Bulldog head coach Chris McIntyre said. “Luckily, he was able to keep us in the game as long as he did. When you don’t have a breaking ball and they know a fastball is coming, you’re asking for trouble. Against Jeffersonville, you better have some off-speed [pitches] or they’re going to sit on the fastball and they’re going to hit your fastball.”

The Jeff player who gave Rudy the most fits Wednesday was leadoff hitter Drew Campbell. The senior center fielder went 3-for-5 with a double, two solo homers, three runs scored and two RBIs. Campbell got all three of his hits off Rudy.

“He drives the bus, so to speak. When he goes, we kind of go with him,” Ellis said. “When he’s swinging the bat well and getting on base and making things happen, we’re a pretty good ballclub. It was great to see him come out the way he did.”

The Red Devils (8-1) got on the board first in the top of the second inning. With two out, shortstop Bailey Falkenstein scored from third base on a Rudy wild pitch.

The Bulldogs (9-4) answered in the bottom half with a run to tie the game at one. After senior designated hitter Austin Dickey smacked a two-out single, he scored on a double by first baseman Ryan Robison that went off the right-field fence.

Campbell got the lead back for Jeff when he led off the top of the third with a solo shot over the right-field fence, putting the Devils up 2-1.

Campbell’s second solo blast happened in the top of the fifth. Once again, he drilled it over the right-field wall, this time with one out to give Jeff a 3-1 lead.

“I haven’t been hitting good the last two games. So I just tried to come out here and hit the ball hard. It worked out for me,” Campbell said.

New Albany got within 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth on a solo shot of its own. Senior center fielder AJ Nixon smacked the homer over the center-field fence off Red Devil starter Ian Ellis. Nixon was the only Bulldog to have a multihit game, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.

“I was pleased as punch to only be down one run going into the last inning,” McIntyre said.

However, in the top of the seventh, Jeff turned the game from a nailbiter into a blowout with five runs on four hits.

Campbell led off the inning with a double to right-center and moved to third on a fielder’s choice by Ian Ellis, who reached first safely.

That brought up senior slugger Joe Burke and he made the Bulldogs pay. The first baseman smashed a three-run homer to left-center to extend the Red Devil advantage to 6-2.

Jeff’s final two runs came on a RBI groundout by catcher Bradley Benton and an RBI double by designated hitter Jack Ellis, who ended up 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Ian Ellis pitched all seven innings to improve his record to 4-0. The senior right-hander surrendered two runs (both earned) on six hits, striking out nine and walking two.

Ian Ellis gave a solid outing on three days’ rest after he pitched a four-hitter last Saturday in the Red Devils’ 5-1 home win over Terre Haute North.

“We probably left him in a little too long. He was around the 90-pitch mark going into the last inning, and you could tell he was getting a little bit tired,” Derek Ellis said. “But he didn’t want to come out. He was a bulldog and he wanted to stay out there, so we were going to go ahead and ride him for a little bit. I’m extremely excited with the way he’s pitching so far early in the season, so hopefully he will continue that as we move on.”

Both teams will play at home Saturday. Jeff will face Bedford North Lawrence, while New Albany will square off against Evansville Reitz in a doubleheader.

JEFFERSONVILLE 8, NEW ALBANY 2

Jeffersonville 011 010 5—8 11 0

New Albany 010 001 0—2 6 0

W — Ian Ellis (4-0). L — Chase Rudy (1-1). 2B — Drew Campbell (J), Jack Ellis (J), Ryan Robison (NA). HR — Campbell 2 (J), Joe Burke (J), AJ Nixon (NA). Records — Jeffersonville 8-1, New Albany 9-4