By Brett R. Crossley
For The Daily Item
May 16, 2008 05:39 am
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MONTOURSVILLE -- Some questions may have been answered for Montoursville as it rolls into the District 4 playoffs.
In less than a week's time Montoursville faced both teams ahead of the Warriors in the Susquehanna Valley League. The Warriors beat Jersey Shore on Saturday, then prepared for Selinsgrove.
Chad Jacobson was prepared. Jacobson pitched a complete game shutout, fanning 11 as Montoursville beat Selinsgrove 5-0 Thursday. The Warriors are now locked up with Jersey Shore for the top spot in the SVL at 16-3 overall and SVL.
"Every game from here on out matters," said Montoursville coach Corey Twigg. "We want to put pressure on teams."
Montoursville certainly put the pressure on Selinsgrove (15-4) by knocking the Seals out of the title hunt with the win.
Jacobson was ready from the start, striking out two batters in the first inning and getting another to ground out to short.
"For him (Jacobson) to come out and do this against both Jersey Shore and Selinsgrove before the playoffs is a good thing," said Twigg. "He should feel pretty confident for districts."
Jordan Tressler wasn't as hot to start the game, as the Warriors opened the bottom half of the first with back-to-back walks. Aaron Russell then advanced on a fielder's choice, giving Montoursville runners on the corners. Marc Schoch faked a steal, causing a balk for the first run of the game score.
"We got on the pitching right away," said Twigg. "We're a fastball hitting team, so we liked the matchup."
Schoch would later cross the dish on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Kremser.
The two-run first inning was more then enough for Jacobson, who whiffed two the following inning.
"I pitched my game and didn't let things get to me," said Jacobson. "Our defense made some great plays."
In the bottom of the third Schoch smashed an 0-2 offering over the left field fence to open up the Warriors' biggest inning of the day. Kremser singled, Travis Heap drew a walk and the Seals committed an error, plating Kremser. Ethan Carey drove home Heap on a single through the infield.
Jacobson followed by striking out one and getting two more hitters to ground out.
"He is a good pitcher," said Selinsgrove coach Brent Beiler. "He threw nice and low and threw his curve for strikes."
Tressler seemed to settle in after the big third inning, not letting any more runners cross the plate.
"He just needed to settle in," said Beiler. "Once he started relying on some different pitches he settled in nicely."
The one thing Montoursville couldn't prevent was catcher Schoch leaving the game in the sixth with an injury after he tried to leg out an infield hit.
"We're going to do everything we can to rest him," said Twigg. "We hope through our trainer, rest, and ice we can get him going for districts."
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