Jefferson a win away from elusive state berth

CEDAR RAPIDS - Mike Kuba has been locking every entrance but one to the Cedar Rapids Jefferson baseball diamond recently. It's not punishment, but motivation.Let the J-Hawks head coach explain.“We've started every postseason practice by having the kids walk through our front gate and look at that back board on the press box,” Kuba said. “So that way they know the last time Jefferson has been to state.”The answer is 1998, believe it or not. A 12-year drought for a program that consistently churns out good players and gets its share of regular-season victories is kind of surprising.“The people in the jerseys from years past have always been a motivation for us,” said pitcher Matt Beer, after Jefferson's 3-2, eight-inning win over Marshalltown in a Class 4A substate semifinal last night. “We've always just wanted to go to state to represent the west side (of town). And for all the alumni, all the people who wore this jersey before us.”All it'll take for these inspired J-Hawks (22-18) to make it to Des Moines' Principal Park next week is a substate final win Wednesday night at top-ranked Mason City. They know they won't be favored against a team with a pitcher (Brandon Platts) who throws a 90-mile-per-hour fastball.But don't sell them short.“We just talked about it,” said outfielder Michael Rooney. “We're underdogs in this. No pressure on us. We'll just do what we can and hope to win. No one expects us to win but us.”Rooney drew a leadoff walk to start Jeff's winning rally in the top of the eighth. Kellen Sweeney - playing just his second game since being drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the second round in June - also walked, and Beer reached to load the bases when Marshalltown first baseman Grant Carnahan slipped trying to field his sacrifice bunt and threw high to first.A Joby Frey sacrifice fly plated Rooney with the winning run. Marshalltown (21-20) had the tying run on third and winning run on second in the bottom of the inning, but Beer struck out Christian Goodman swinging to end the game.He threw a complete game, scattering nine hits and whiffing nine. He also picked off the go-ahead run at first base to end the sixth. Catcher Drew Striegel threw out a Bobcat trying to steal second base in the seventh.“My splitter was dropping really good tonight,” Beer said. “I was able to throw it for strikes and get ahead of the hitters, which really helped. That way I can throw my fastball after that, and it's harder to hit.”Here's video of Beer's game-ending strikeout, followed by a short interview: