JEFFERSON — The Eagles capped a wild back-and-forth game with a frenzied celebration that spilled into the outfield.
Junior pinch-hitter Sam Steies played the role of hero by singling in the walk-off run in the seventh inning as Jefferson’s baseball team edged Delavan-Darien 5-4 in Rock Valley play at Fischer Field on Thursday.
Tyler Fredrick drew a one-out walk on five pitches in the Eagles’ seventh. His pinch runner Tyler Steinke raced to third on Drew Peterson’s double into center field, sliding to the outside of the bag to just beat the throw. After Payton Heard was intentionally walked to load the bases, Andrew Altermatt popped out.
Steies sent the first pitch he saw from Jacob Huff back up the middle, right into the setting sun as the Eagles (10-2, 6-1 in conference) avenged a 3-2 loss to the Comets (7-3, 6-2) from earlier in the week. Steies was mobbed by enthused teammates near the first-base bag and eventually chased into the outfield grass.
“Sam’s been working hard all year and has had good at bats,” Jefferson baseball coach Greg Fetherston said. “We’ve been making some defensive replacements, including with Brady Vogel who is one of our better defensive outfielders. We felt Sam would be able to put the ball in play. It was a gut feeling to make the re-entry. Sam loaded up the hands, got through it and found a hole.”
Aidan Kammer’s two-out double on a liner to left opened the scoring, giving the Eagles a 1-0 edge in the first.
The Comets, who stranded a combined five runners in the first two innings against Peterson, broke through in the third, scoring on a Kevin O’Grady single and again on an error in the infield to lead 2-1. Huff then drew a bases-loaded walk.
Kammer kick-started the Jefferson fifth by doubling to left with one away. After consecutive walks to Caysen Miller and Tyler Schroedl, Neil Janssen’s balk brought home a run. Tyler Fredrick then ripped a two-run single to right-center, giving the Eagles a 4-3 edge and chasing Janssen.
Huff entered to face Peterson, who drew a walk, before getting a pair of ground balls to escape the inning.
Huff opened the Delavan sixth by sending a hard-hit ball to left field, reaching second on an error. Carter Horton came up next and bunted, reaching safely on a pitcher Bentley Wagner’s throwing error which allowed the run to come across and make it 4-all. Schroedl entered and quickly picked off Horton, with second baseman Kammer providing the handy work to apply the tag. Schroedl punched out the next two hitters in short order.
“A big part of what we do is take advantage of aggressive base runners,” Fetherston said. “Their job is to know when they can do it. The runner squashed the hand of Aidan at the bag and Tyler put a great spin right on the money. That was a big-time play by two seniors in a big-time situation.”
There was a two-out catcher’s interference call on Jefferson to end the sixth inning and a runner interference call at second base on Delavan in the seventh, which led to an inning-ending double play and set the stage for the Eagles’ winning moment.
“Both games this week we were down and fought back,” Fetherston said. “We are not hitting one through nine where we want to be, but I’m proud of the fight. This was our worst week of defense, committing seven total errors.
“To be able to overcome that, in part due to good pitching performances, is a positive. I’m proud of the at bats tonight by Peterson and Fredrick, whose hit in the fifth was huge. We grinded there at the end. Anytime you get a walk-off win, it is exciting. I’m happy the boys finished the job tonight.”
After Peterson fanned five and allowed three runs in 2 2/3 innings, Wagner tossed 2 1/3 frames and allowed an unearned run. Schroedl pitched two-hit innings to earn the decision.
“Drew didn’t have his best stuff tonight,” Fetherston said. “For Bentley to do what he did and give us those innings was huge. Tyler was lights out to end it. His energy and emotion stood out. Tyler was throwing hard and had his curveball back. That’ll be a big boost as he progresses through the season.”
Jefferson hosts Clinton on Monday at 4:45 p.m.
JEFFERSON 5, DELAVAN-DARIEN 4
Delavan 003 001 0 — 4 7 1
Jefferson 100 030 1 — 5 6 4
Leading hitters — D-D: Huff 3x3, Janssen 2x4; J: Fredrick 2x2, Peterson 2x3 (2 2B), Kammer (2B).
Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) — D-D: Janssen L; 4.1-4-4-4-5-0, Huff 2.1-2-1-1-4-1; J: Peterson 2.2-5-3-3-6-5, Wagner 2.1-2-1-0-0-3, Schroedl W; 2-0-0-0-0-3.
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