WHEELING - Wheeling Post 1 manager Tom Pasco is still looking for someone to step up and be the ace of the team.
Ethan Jacobs gave a pretty good on-the-job interview Tuesday against Steubenville Post 33.
The Wheeling Park standout struck out six and allowed five hits - three not coming until the final inning - as Post 1 remained undefeated (7-0) with a 4-0 blanking of Post 33 at the I-470 Complex.
Article Photos
PHOTO BY JOSH STROPE
Wheeling Post 1 batter Matt Carnahan watches his bat meet the ball during his team’s American Legion game against Steubenville on Tuesday night.
''Ethan Jacobs really stepped up and showed he's one of the better pitchers in the valley,'' Pasco said. ''To really handle Steubenville the way he did, I am really proud of that.
''This is what we expect from him. We don't know who is our No. 1 or who is our No. 5 starter. Right now, he's trying to chew up that No. 1 spot and doing a good job at it.''
Jacobs had good stuff all game and kept a good-hitting Steubenville team at bay.
All five hits he allowed were singles. Brenton Colabella and John Linn were the only two get to get hits before the seventh.
In the seventh, after getting the first two outs quickly, Jacobs allowed three straight singles to Aleks Porreca, Jimmy Panella, and Pat Pizzaferrato to bring Colabella - the tying run - to the plate. Colabella grounded out to second baseman Nate Bakaitis to end the game.
If that wasn't enough, Jacobs provided most of the offense as well.
His RBI double in the second inning scored Patrick Biega to put Wheeling in front. He pulled the same feat in the sixth for an insurance run, scoring Matt Carnahan.
Jon-Michael Brunner added an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Carnahan scored from third on a wild pitch in the fourth to complete the scoring.
Steubenville (8-5) received a good pitching performance from starter Josh Malesky, but Jacobs was nearly unhittable.
''It was a well-pitched game by both sides,'' Steubenville manager Mark Stacy said. ''(Jacobs) spotted the ball real well and had command of his fastball. He put the ball pretty much wherever he wanted. He didn't throw anything fat and mixed his curve in real well.
''I thought our guy, Josh Malesky, also pitched real well. The difference in the game was we had some people on and we didn't hit with people on base and they did.''
Other than the seventh, the only time Steubenville really threatened was in the third when it had the bases loaded following two walks and a hit batter.
Pasco had a quick talk with Jacobs that clearly did wonders as he struck out Pizzaferrato and Colabella to end the inning.
''(7-0) is very exciting and it kind of snuck up on us,'' Pasco said. ''A couple weeks ago we didn't know who was going to make the team. We had a lot of new guys that are contributing. It's great. The kids feel good, I feel good, and hopefully we can keep on rolling.''
