Falcons birds of prey

BRUCE McCLIMANS
Star Beacon

May 13, 2008 03:55 am

— CONNEAUT —The Jefferson Falcons have had their sights set on a third consecutive Northeastern Conference baseball title all season. The Conneaut Spartans have been looking to improve their overall game to the point where they are respectable and in contention for the top spot in the near future.
Both teams came away winners Monday, but it was the Falcons that laid claim to the title with a hard-fought 3-0 pitchers’ duel at Skippon Park.
Jefferson’s Andrew Saksa (5-0) and Conneaut’s Jacob Simek (1-5) locked horns for five innings as Saksa (a senior) showed Simek (a freshman) the ropes on what it takes to first compete, then win at this level of play.
Simek may have learned a very valuable lesson, but Saksa got the win and the incentive leading into the sectional tournament later this week.
As he has all season, Jefferson’s Ryan Morford led the Falcon attack. He led off the game with a ringing double down the third-base line on a high and outside pitch, but Morford, along with his teammates, has been told by coach Scott Barber, “See the ball, hit the ball, be the ball.”
Morford did exactly that. After a walk and a Spartan double play, Morford was standing on third base and was promptly sent home on a Saksa single to make it 1-0.
That’s all that was needed, but no one knew it at the time, or what a hotly contested pitching matchup it would turn out to be.
As good as Saksa was, he was on the verge of being scored upon in the third and fourth innings by the Spartans, but excellent defense was the norm for the day on both sides. Two double plays and a slight-of-hand pickoff in the seventh inning got the Falcons out of trouble.
Barber had a sheepish grin on his face when asked about the pickoff of Tony Santiago in the final inning.
“It’s like a magician,” Barber said. “A good magician never tells his trade secrects, or he’d be out of a job.”
According to the Falcon players, they have been working on the play for the past week and were actually surprised to see it work.
Spartans coach Joel Taylor had a satisfied look, even though his team took it on the chin.
“You know, we are a very young team and Jacob Simek pitched one heckuva game for a freshman,” Taylor said.
Taylor also knows Jefferson is a class team and to be in it until the end was a good omen for the Spartans. But Taylor also knows his team is on the verge of something good and he wants them to continue in the summer to work hard on their skills.
“We’re on the precipice of winning some games,” he said. “We get guys in scoring position, but we just can’t get them across the plate. I think it’s because this is the first time that some of these guys have been in that positon, but it’s going to come with time. I fully believe that.”
Jefferson (18-4, 9-1) scored a single run in the fifth as J.D. Drews led off with a double to deep right center field. He came home on a Zac Blair single to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead.
They scored its final run in the seventh as Anthony Paneto singled and was run for by Collin Butcher. Butcher moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Drews and came home on a Zak Graf double.
“I’m really happy for the boys,” Barber said. “It’s these guys (the players) that worked real hard for it.”
Barber was quick to give Conneaut (5-12, 1-9), in particular Simek, the credit for keeping the Falcon offense in check.
“Simek pitched a great game for them, but our pitching (Saska and Wilson) was up to the task,” Barber said. “Our defense was outstanding, along with the pitching, and when you get that combination, you’re going to be in most games with a good chance to win.”

McClimans is a freelance writer from Ashtabula.

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