Baseball: Jensen, Prospect dispose of Schaumburg
Prospect's Bryce Jensen waited a year to get another chance to pitch against Schaumburg. So for the senior left-hander, the extra 35-minute delay Tuesday was not a big deal.
"I was just trying to keep my head straight," said Jensen, who was forced to wait that extra time because the Schaumburg team bus was late arriving due to a shortage of buses.
"I just came out focused ready to pitch."
Jensen's focus led Prospect to a 7-1 win over Schaumburg in a Mid-Suburban League crossover baseball game Tuesday in Mount Prospect.
Jensen was looking forward to his start against Schaumburg after the Saxons took it to him a year ago. Last season, Jensen got the start against Schaumburg. He lasted just 3 innings and allowed 7 runs while taking the loss.
"Last year they hit me very well," Jensen said. "I choked last year, so this year I wanted to bring it to them."
Jensen did more than that, pitching a complete game. He allowed just 3 hits and struck out eight, including the final three. What was even more impressive was that he had 14 infield putouts and just one fly out, which was just one of three balls he allowed to leave the infield.
"Bryce has come a long way," Prospect coach Ross Giusti said. "He had every pitch going for him today. He threw with confidence. It is great to see him come out and do his thing."
It was the second complete game pitching effort for Prospect (9-9-1, 4-3), which got a shutout performance from Tyler Priessing on Monday.
That pitching, along with some timely offense, has the Knights playing well, winning 5 of their last 7 games.
"All of a sudden we are playing pretty good ball," said Matt McAleer, who had a 3-home run game against Buffalo Grove last week.
"Our pitchers are coming through. They are throwing strikes and we are playing real well."
The early pitching by Jensen helped trigger the Prospect offense, with the Knights scoring 6 runs in the first two innings. Schaumburg (8-8, 3-3), committed 6 of its 8 errors during the first two frames.
"This was a tale of two games," Schaumburg coach Cal Seely said. "Innings one and two versus five through seven. When you give good teams opportunities they are going to open it up."
Prospect did just that as it led 6-0 after the second inning.
Ed Brancato and McAleer both scored in the first on errors. The Knights then loaded the bases in the second and Brancato had a bases-loaded walk, Jacob Kiel the first of his two sacrifice flies and Dan Morgan, who had 2 hits, scored on an error.
Jensen sailed along, retiring the first 10 batters he faced. Schaumburg finally tallied when Jason Akers doubled just over third base. He would then score on a fielders choice.
Schaumburg's Tyler Slome kept the Saxons in the game with some solid relief pitching. He allowed just 1 run when Keil's sacrifice fly scored Brancato, who had singled.
"We have really grown as team," Giusti said. "These kids are getting a lot of games under their belt and understand how to play good fundamental baseball."