In their second year back to playing ball after COVID shut down their 2020 season, and a promising 2021, the Eagle boys baseball team opened up the 2022 season Monday night, taking on the hosting Southeast Valley team in Dayton.
Eagles Junior Varsity (JV) went in with a different lineup than they’d practiced. “We were short handed, and had a unique lineup,” related Head Coach Jordan Miller, “the boys responded with some great energy and timely hitting.”
Jesus Baez had the standout performance for the JV team, with two hits and three runs batted in (RBIs). Southeast Valley JV fell to the Eagles JV with a final score of 10 to 4, Eagles.
In the Varsity game, top returning batter Jake Jeske (whose 2021 season at bat was a notable one) was up on the mound to show he’s a fine pitcher, too. Jeske went six innings with 15 strikeouts, without allowing a single hit. Then Jordan Morris took to the mound and played out the final 7th inning, striking out 3 and also allowing no hits. Meaning the Eagles racked up a no hitter win in their season opener!
Cayden Schultz scored in the second inning, as well as taking a hit and two RBI’s. Blake Morgan and Jake Jeske both scored runs in the sixth, with Jeske scoring off Schultz’s double. Morgan also scored two more hits. With Southeast Valley snagging an unearned run, the final score was 3 to 1, Eagles!
The Varsity game was a true pitcher’s duel, with Eagle starting pitcher Jake Jeske going up against Southeast Valley’s starter Kolson Kruse, with neither opener allowing many (or any) hits. Kruse “is a heck of a pitcher,” Miller told the Eagle, but “so are our guys.” “Anytime you are in a well played low scoring affair you hope your pitcher or pitchers rise to the occasion,” Miller explained, “Jake and Jordan did a tremendous job”
“This team genuinely enjoys working with each other and playing the game the right way! Jake was great on the mound and Jordan came in to slam the door on the game,” Coach Miller added. “Their hard work over the off-season has shown.”
The Eagles also debuted a brand new varsity MVP belt which the coaches surprised the players with, much to their excitement. In the past the Eagles’ tradition has been to give a WWE belt out to the most valuable player of the game, in every win. But this year the coaches decided to take it to the next level, “we wanted to do something that was unique to our program,” Miller explained, adding “we had a personalized belt made and surprised the guys today with them. We only give them out on wins, and the guys get to keep them until the next game, and try to earn them again.” The WWE belt was handed down to the JV team.
“It is a little thing to some, but our guys like taking home the belt.” Miller said. And, he explained, the belts have helped the players in their teamwork, “it has really brought our focus from individual achievements to group focused, as they know the belts don’t come out until we win as a unit.” Jesus Baez took home the JV belt, while Jake Jeske took the new varsity belt home with him. But coach Miller kept the focus on teamwork,”As long as we continue to play selfless baseball,” Miller asserted, “we can do really good things.”
