Maynard Takes Game 1 From Wheeling, 3-2

MAYNARD -- One down, two to go.

Defending champion Maynard took the first step towards repeating as Ohio Valley Baseball League titlists with a 3-2 win over visiting Wheeling Monday night in Game 1 of the championship series on Firemen's Field inside the Community Park.

The second-seeded Indians (14-10) used another solid pitching effort from Michael "Zuke" Jacob, who also delivered a key two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the fourth, en route to taking a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-5 format. Game 2 is set for West Liberty University's Kovalick Field on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Game 3 will be played back in Belmont County on Friday, also at 6.

"Zuke put us on his shoulder again. He was outstanding on the mound and even got a big hit that scored two runs," Maynard player/manager David Vicker said. "We've been riding Zuke and Mackenzie (Koehler) all summer, so Zuke's performance doesn't surprise me."

Jacob, a former St. Clairsville High and University of Toledo lefty, once again overcame a tough first inning in going the distance. He struck out 11, scattered seven hits and walked four while throwing 79 strikes among his 119 deliveries.

"They should put an asterisk in the scorebook alongside hits like that," he said of his second-inning bloop single to shallow right that scored B.A. Holloway and Zach Clark to give Maynard a 2-1 lead it would never relinquish. "Got lucky ... good fortune."

After Maynard took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth on Matthew Busby's two-out single up the middle plated Klay Cottis, the fourth-seeded Pioneers pulled to within 3-2 but Jacob worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam with one out in the sixth.

"I got a little tired there in the sixth. I'm not 18 any more. That makes it a lot tougher, but I've got a great bunch of guys behind me and B.A. behind the plate," Jacob said. "Getting that first win in a short series is always huge.

"That is a really good baseball team over there," Jacob said while gesturing towards the Wheeling bench. "They've got a lot of talented players."

Wheeling manager Jeff Shaw said he was pleased with the outcome.

"That was an excellent ball game with two great pitchers. We left too many men on base and a blooper beat us," Shaw said. "I'm happy with where we are at. I have no complaints."

Jacob finished with two singles, as did Holloway and Korey Beckett. Clark rapped a double.

Dom Parker-McDonald, who just completed his junior season at Wheeling University with a team-leading six mound wins, was the tough-luck loser. The righty from Chesapeake, Va., fanned five, allowed 10 hits and didn't walk a batter. He threw 100 pitches, with 66 being strikes.

Brian Shaw singled twice for Wheeling, as did Seth Burdhead.

Coy Amis gave the visitors a 1-0 lead with a first-inning single to left that scored Sonny Peluchette who had reached second on an error leading off and went to third on a wild pitch.

The Pioneers trailed 3-1 entering the sixth when Burdhead singled leading off. With one out, Shaw doubled to left as Burdhead went to third. Ryan Hummel grounded to first, but the throw to the plate trying to get Burdhead was high as the Pioneer slid under the tag of Holloway in a bang-bang play. Jacob bore down and struck out the next batter before walking Peluchette to load the bases. The southpaw then retired the next batter swinging.

FINALS NOTES

- The game took 1-hour, 40 minutes.

- The 50/50 was worth $115.

- Maynard has won titles in 2013-14 and last year.

- Vicker said he is leaning towards using Beckett on the mound in Game 2. Shaw said he was undecided upon his starter.

- The attendance, as counted by Barton manager Billy Timko, was 153.

- Should a Game 4 be needed, it would be played in Ohio County on Sunday at 1. A fifth-and-deciding game, if necessary, would be played in Maynard on Monday, July 25 at 6 p.m.