Baseball: Heiss hurls Jacobs past Hampshire

With Brenden Heiss throwing 97 pitches in 6 innings while giving up 1 unearned run without allowing a hit, Jacobs baseball coach Jamie Murray had a tough decision to make.

In his second appearance of the season, Heiss struck out 12 Hampshire hitters with 3 walks.

Murray decided to take out the Arkansas-bound senior despite his bid for a no-hitter.

In the seventh, Jacobs closer Jeff Anders allowed Hampshire's only hit of the game but struck out 2 to earn the save.

The result was a 2-1 Fox Valley Conference win over Hampshire in Algonquin Wednesday afternoon.

"If this was late May and we are playing for a regional title Brenden pitches the seventh inning," said Murray. "This is Brenden's second start of the year and we don't want to overdo it. It is all about the team. Brenden was outstanding against a very good hitting team. Jeff (Anders) gives teams a different arm angle and his ball is tough to pick up."

Heiss, who was clocked at 95 miles per hour, struck out 8 Whip-Pur (5-7, 1-2) hitters during the first 3 innings.

"I felt I could have finished the game but I understand coach's decision," said Heiss. "I was throwing the ball well and I felt my curveball was really moving. It is a pitch I have really worked on in the offseason."

Hampshire coach John Sarna was impressed with Heiss.

"Brenden is a much better pitcher than last year because his curveball is much better," said Sarna. "He not only throws hard but he can keep hitters off stride with a sharp breaking curveball."

Jacobs (9-1, 3-0) scored its only 2 runs of the game off hard-luck loser Mike Kruse in the fourth.

Tim Randl and catcher Dan Solomon led off the inning with singles. Casey Dennison and Adam Kale lofted sacrifice flies to score Randl and pinch runner Loen Nelson to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.

Hampshire's Kyle Homa led off the seventh with a single and was sacrificed to second by Carter Lawler. Homa was stranded at second as Anders struck out Kevin Michaelson and Matt Wians to end the game.

"Mike really competed on the mound and did a great job of executing the game plan, said Sarna of Kruse. "Our kids came to play and were really focused. I like the way we competed against a very good pitcher."