Burnett, Jacobs carry SJO baseball past GCMS

Road wins aren’t to be taken for granted. Especially dominating road victories like the one the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team posted on Tuesday afternoon.

The Spartans rode Crayton Burnett and Kaden Jacobs to deliver an 11-0 nonconference win at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley, giving SJO four wins in its last five games heading into Wednesday’s Illini Prairie Conference game at St. Thomas More.

Burnett scattered six hits and struck out 13 in throwing a shutout for SJO (16-6-2), while helping himself out at the plate by going 2 for 3 with three RBI. Jacobs went 3 for 4 with a run scored, while Blake Dable, Nick Boggs, Drew Coursey, Zach Martini and Jaden Miller all drove in a run for the Spartans. Adam Rose also chipped in by going 2 for 3 with two walks and two stolen bases.

SJO took an early 3-0 lead with three first-inning runs.

Rose and Adam Frerichs both walked to lead off the game and Burnett made GCMS pay for the free passes with a two-run double to center field to put SJO up 2-0.

Courtesy runner Brayden Weaver stole third base and came around to score on a passed ball, giving Burnett a 3-0 lead and all the run support he would need on the day.

SJO made it 5-0 in the third inning. Burnett doubled to lead off the frame, Sam Wesley walked and Jacobs singled to load the bases with no outs. Boggs then reached safely on an error that also allowed Burnett and Wesley to score and put SJO up 5-0.

The score remained that way until the top of the sixth when Coursey walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a single by Weaver before an RBI single by Miller scored Coursey to give SJO a 6-0 lead.

The Spartans tacked on five runs in the seventh to leave no doubt in the win. Burnett walked to lead off the inning, Wesley was hit by a pitch and Jacobs singled to load the bases with no outs.

Boggs hit into a fielder’s choice, scoring courtesy runner Robert Gebbink and Wesley also came around to score on the play, giving SJO an 8-0 lead.

Martini then drove in a run on another fielder’s choice, making it 9-0. Dable and Burnett then drove in runs on bases-loaded walks to put SJO up 11-0.

The Spartans return to conference play at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday at St. Thomas More before coming back home for two nonconference games to wrap up the week, starting at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday against Charleston and then at 4:30 p.m. on Friday against Maroa-Forsyth.