Bounce-back win for Barrington at Jacobs

The Barrington baseball team remembers, of course.

Proud teams like the Broncos don't forget getting bounced from the IHSA state tournament the way host Jacobs drummed them out in a Class 4A regional title game last May, 9-3.

That's why Wednesday's rematch in Algonquin had an edge to it, more than a typical April nonconference game.

"We were out to get these guys - not in a mean way - but we really wanted to win," Barrington senior Shane Yorton said.

"You could feel it," said Jacobs coach Jamie Murray, whose team won a sectional title last season. "It really had a regional feel to it."

Jacobs scored 3 runs in the bottom of the third, but Barrington responded with 4 runs in the fourth. That lead held up, thanks to a 6-inning performance by winning pitcher Anthony DeLaurentis (2-1) before he gave way to Daniel Kubiuk, who pitched a perfect seventh to notch the save.

The win improved Barrington to 9-3. Jacobs slipped to 7-3.

"In the end it was two good teams going at it and emotions were running high," Barrington coach Pat Wire said. "It had a playoff feel. It could have gone either way. Fortunately for us, it went our way."

Jacobs staked starting pitcher Reilly Peltier (2-1) to the lead with its third-inning rally, ignited by consecutive singles from 8-9-1 hitters David Tenayuca, Ryan Sargent and Ben Murray. Jacobs' first run scored on a passed ball, but the next 2 were driven in by Grant Kale, who hammered a one-out line drive to center field.

Barrington absorbed that punch and countered in the fourth. A single by Anthony Lombardi and a double by Jack Lenz set the stage for a run-scoring groundout by No. 9 hitter Joey Sciaccotta and an RBI bloop single by Mitch Pfeiffer. Yorton, a left-handed hitter, then tied the game 3-3 when he lined a Peltier pitch for a double to the left-center field gap, scoring Pfeiffer from first base.

"I was just trying to put the bat on the ball, and I ended up staying back and driving it the other way with the wind," said Yorton, who went 2-for-2-for-3 with a walk.

Jake Petersen was intentionally walked to set up a force, but an error at third base reloaded the bases. Kubiuk then drew a walk on a 3-1 count to push the go-ahead run across the plate.

DeLaurentis protected that 1-run advantage by following with 3 scoreless innings. He retired 8 of 9 Jacobs hitters at one point and induced the final hitter he saw in the sixth inning to fly out, stranding runners at first and third. He allowed 3 earned runs on 7 hits, struck out 5 and did not issue a walk.

"I had the one inning when I gave up 3 runs because I kept leaving the ball up," said the 6-foot, 155-pound junior. "The last inning I really focused on keeping it down."

Peltier allowed 4 runs (2 earned), walked 4 and struck out 4 in 5 innings. Jacobs reliever Tyler Jones pitched 2 scoreless innings. He escaped a self-made jam in the sixth when he walked the bases loaded only to escape via a strikeout and a lineout.

"I thought Peltier did a nice job and so did Tyler. It was just that one inning," Murray said. "Bottom line for us is we got 3 runs, but we have to do a better job of keeping momentum. We didn't have much of a chance to enjoy that momentum. Pat did a nice job making sure they didn't fall apart when it was 3-0. That's a quality team over there. Hopefully, we'll get a second shot at them later in the year."

There could very well be another chapter to come in the budding rivalry this season. Both are assigned to the Crystal Lake South regional.