Dundee-Crown puts damper on Jacobs' title hopes
Without any mathematical chance to win the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division baseball championship, Dundee-Crown seems content to play the spoiler role.
The Chargers dampened Jacobs' hopes to contend for the FVC Valley title with a 2-1 win in eight innings in Carpentersville Thursday afternoon.
D-C improves to 16-10 overall and 8-7 in conference action while Jacobs drops to 21-8 and 10-4 in FVC Valley action.
"Dundee-Crown was better than us today," said Jacobs coach Jamie Murray. "Congratulations to them. They took care of their opportunities and out-executed us."
With the score tied at 1-1 headed into the bottom of the eighth, D-C was able to push across a run on reliever and loser Evan Liebau.
Mike Cruise led off for the Chargers with a walk and was moved to third on a double from Brett Johnson, who worked a 10-pitch at bat.
Jared Ludwig was intentionally walked to load the bases. On a groundball by Riley Alvarado, Cruise was forced at the plate.
With Dan Denz at the plate, Liebau launched a wild pitch that scored Johnson with the winning run.
"(Liebau) went through his entire repertoire of pitches," said Johnson, who will play at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater. "I finally got a good pitch and drove it well. It was a great win."
The Chargers received an outstanding effort on the mound from starter Matt Weichmann.
Weichmann, who worked 6⅔ innings, gave up 1 run on 5 singles. He struck out 5 with 3 walks and hit a batter.
'Matt Weichmann was absolutely outstanding," said D-C coach Jon Anderson. "He was superb."
With two outs and a runner on first in the seventh, Weichmann was relieved by Riley Alvarado. The first batter Alvarado faced, Ryan Sargent, laced a single to left field but Alvarado buckled down and struck out Owen Oreskovich to end the inning.
In the eighth, Alvarado retired Jacobs in order on three infield grounders.
"I just wanted to come in and throw strikes and get outs," said Alvarado. "Matt pitched great and I wanted to do my part. This was a great win."
Jacobs wasted a gem by starter Daniel Tenayuca, who allowed an unearned run on 1 hit in 6 innings. He struck out 7 with 3 walks. The only hit he allowed was a perfectly placed bunt single by Ludwig in the fourth.