Cedar Rapids Jefferson’s Connor VanScoyoc strikes out 10 in 7-3 triumph over Kennedy

CEDAR RAPIDS - It was as if Connor VanScoyoc just flipped a switch.

The Cedar Rapids Jefferson pitcher rallied from a 3-0 deficit and earned his third victory of the season with 10 strikeouts in six innings as the J-Hawks defeated Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 7-3, in a Mississippi Valley Conference baseball game Friday night at lower Kingston.

'We're starting to roll together and just getting a rhythm,” VanScoyoc said. 'I think that will push us toward our goal.”

The Arizona State recruit was uncharacteristically wild through the first three innings, bouncing several pitches in front of the plate that helped Kennedy take the early lead despite just two base hits.

'I work off my fastball usually,” said VanScoyoc, a junior. 'But tonight I didn't have the control that I usually have. I didn't have the get-up on it that I usually have, so I had to work off of my curveball.”

That key adjustment successfully locked down the Kennedy hitters, which gave the Jefferson offense the opportunity to string together some runs.

The J-Hawks broke through in the third inning against Kennedy starter Graham Woods, highlighted by junior Brayden Frazier's state-leading 11th double that scored Willie Guy and tied the game at 3-3.

'I think I'm focusing in on keeping it simple this year,” said Frazier, a University of Iowa recruit. 'Last year I was getting a little too big. This year I think I'm keeping it more simple and I'm seeing the ball a lot better.”

Jefferson scored two more runs in the fourth on a pair of Kennedy errors, then an RBI double by Chris Haring preceded Drake Frazier's run-scoring triple that extended the lead to 7-3 after five innings.

VanScoyoc (3-0) retired the final 11 Kennedy batters he faced, six by strikeout, before relief pitcher Zach Grant worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

Junior Zak Packingham collected two hits and drove in a run for the Cougars (6-6-1), while reliever Parker Cooley (0-1) took the loss.

Two victories in two nights gives Jefferson (9-5) a series sweep of Kennedy and six wins in its last seven games.

'Just got to keep going up the mountain and keep achieving and good things will happen,” Jefferson Coach Kyle Rodenkirk said. 'They're working hard and they're coming together as a team, so it's pretty cool to see.”

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com