Baseball: Jacobs takes two from Metamora
The Jacobs baseball team followed a familiar blueprint in Saturday's doubleheader sweep of Metamora in Algonquin.
Last season the Golden Eagles parlayed solid pitching, dependable defense and just enough hitting into a third-place finish in Class 4A.
Against Metamora, which had to replace eight of nine position players after winning a Class 3A sectional last year, Jacobs collected only 5 hits in 14 innings. Nevertheless, it was able to defeat two good left-handed pitchers by scores of 4-0 and 2-1 by holding the rebuilding Redbirds to 5 hits and capitalizing on their 4 errors while committing half as many.
"It wasn't pretty but we found a way to win. I'm proud of our guys," Jacobs coach Jamie Murray said. "A true doubleheader, we don't play those all the time. To focus for four or five hours against two quality arms is tough, but I'm pleased to be 3-1 after this."
Judson University recruit Evan Liebau (1-0) prevailed in the opener against Indiana State-bound left-hander Geremy Guerrero. Liebau, also left-handed, held Metamora (1-5) to 3 hits, struck out 5 and walked 4 in 6 scoreless innings.
Guerrero limited Jacobs to an unearned run on 2 hits, walked 1 and struck out a pair in 5 innings.
"That definitely gets me going," Liebau said of the matchup against a Division-I recruit. "I try to be as good as them."
Jacobs scored the only run it would need in the fourth inning. Stevie Krueger led off with a single, stole second and later scored on an error by the shortstop for a 1-0 lead.
The Golden Eagles tacked on 3 insurance runs in the sixth, highlighted by senior Adam Kale's 2-run bloop single.
Jacobs closer Brad Demkovich pitched a scoreless seventh in a non-save situation to complete the combined 3-hit shutout.
In the nightcap, senior right-hander Casey Dennison and Metamora lefty Sam Brace (Lawrence Tech) were locked in a scoreless duel until the Redbirds broke through for an unearned run in the top of the fifth.
Trailing 1-0, Jacobs didn't settle for a doubleheader split. Krueger led off the sixth inning with a single and later scored from third with two outs when Metamora's shortstop threw wildly to first on a groundball off the bat of Dennison.
Nate Meland ignited the winning rally in the seventh when he reached second base with one out on another throwing error by the Metamora shortstop. After Mike Addante struck out, Metamora intentionally walked Krueger and Dan Salomon drew a walk to load the bases. Meland then scored the walk-off winner when a passed ball glanced off the mitt of the Metamora catcher, one of two sophomores in the starting lineup.
"They are being thrown into the fire because the guys on the mound can compete," Metamora coach Eric Stone said. "They threw well and gave us a chance but we have no margin error. We know what level of competition we're playing in Jacobs."