Baseball: Crystal Lake South outslugs Jacobs
No deficit seems too big for the Crystal Lake South baseball team to overcome.
The Gators spotted visiting Jacobs a 6-run lead through the top of the third inning of Wednesday's Fox Valley Conference game, but CL South scored in every inning - capped by 2 unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth - to pull off a 13-12 victory.
"Every game that we've been down we've kept our heads up and we come back and we get another hit," said CL South senior Ryan Parquette, who went 4-for-5 with 2 RBI. "Answer back - that's what we go for and that's what we do."
The victory improves CL South to 19-1 overall, 10-1 in the FVC. The comeback win, coupled with Huntley's 6-4 loss to Cary-Grove, allowed the Gators to take sole possession of first place by a game.
While many teams might have cashed out mentally after surrendering 11 runs in the first 3 innings, the Gators, with one of the area's top slugging lineups, had the confidence to double down.
They scored a run in the third inning, 3 in the fourth and 2 apiece in the fifth and sixth. Everyone contributed. All nine starters had hits and seven enjoyed multihit games as part of a 19-hit attack.
"I don't think you saw us hitting the panic button or the kids hitting the panic button," Gators coach Brian Bogda said. "They scored a run every inning. That just shows that these kids believe in each other and they're working hard for each other."
It was the fifth straight FVC loss for Jacobs (13-7, 5-6), which has lost 5 of 6 overall. It marked the second time in four days the Golden Eagles dropped an FVC contest they led by a wide margin. They lost 8-7 at Huntley on Saturday, a game they led 7-0 after five innings.
Errors cost Jacobs in the decisive bottom of the sixth. CL South leadoff man Noah Tyrrell reached on a two-base throwing error by Jacobs pitcher Cory Dennison (1-1), moved to third on Scott Skwarek's sacrifice bunt and scored on a line-drive single to left field by No. 9 hitter Brent Chubb, who went 2-for-4.
Another error on a routine groundball to second base off the bat of senior Griffin Bright allowed the go-ahead run to score.
"I know it's been five games in a row," Jacobs coach Jamie Murray said. "We've had leads late. We know what we're capable of doing. We just have to learn how to finish. I don't want to be a cliché and say that they're young, but this is part of the process. Two years ago we lost 7 of 11 games in the middle of the year and we went to state. It's a very capable group. We've got guys who can swing it."
Braeden Wegner went 2-for-3 with a grand slam and 5 RBI while Ryan McGorrian, Spencer Foulks and Jacob Sonnefeldt each had 2 hits for Jacobs.
The game's unsung here was CL South reliever Luke Dunham (3-0). The senior right-hander relieved starting pitcher Blake Kuffel during Jacobs' 6-run third-inning. After 2 inherited runners scored, he allowed a 3-run double to Adam Kale. He settled down and held Jacobs to 1 run over the next 4 innings and retired the side in order in the seventh.
"It was honestly all about giving my team the stability to come back," Dunham said. "We can hit with absolutely anyone. If I can go out there and throw some strikes and my defense can make some plays, we're going to be back in any game."
For CL South, Nick Wolski hit a 2-run home run, Chubb and Brian Fuentes each doubled twice, Michael Swiatly and Tyrrell each delivered run-scoring triples and Skwarek went 3-for-3.