Jake Miller helps No. 6 Marion outlast Cedar Rapids Xavier, 11-10, in high school baseball battle

CEDAR RAPIDS – Jake Miller plays vital roles for Marion.

He is the leadoff batter expected to spark the Wolves offense and moved to shortstop, bolstering the defense. In the words of Wolves Coach Steve Fish, the kid can play.

“You’ve got to get past that he’s a small guy,” Fish said. “He locks in and plays. Watch him. He’s pretty special.”

Miller contributed with his bat, glove, legs and arm, helping Class 3A No. 6 Marion to an 11-10 victory over Cedar Rapids Xavier in a back-and-forth high school baseball game Thursday night at Ken Charipar Field. The Wolves scored three in the top of the seventh and reliever Austin Goodrich earned the save, stranding the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position.

“We want to play games like this, especially in non-conference,” Fish said. “Xavier is a quality opponent. Like I told our kids, I don’t care who we’re playing, we expect to win.

“The experience was good but there’s a lot we didn’t do very well.”

With all-stater Myles Davis moving on to A3 Academy in Florida to prepare for his college career at the University of Iowa, Miller will have to slip into the large cleats Davis left behind. Miller said he tries to be a leader with the seniors, focusing on encouraging teammates and creating a positive atmosphere in and out of the dugout.

“Our team has a lot of leaders this year,” Miller said. “It’s probably one of the most fun teams I’ve ever been a part of. Everybody gets along and the culture is great. Everybody has fun at practice. Everybody puts in work.”

The triumph had Miller’s fingerprints all over it. He made an immediate impact. He led off the game, reaching on an error. Miller drew the Saints’ attention on the bases and advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw, scoring on an Isaac Scott groundout.

Miller showed his versatility in his final two at-bats. He loaded up and drove a run-scoring double to deep center field in a three-run sixth. In the decisive seventh, Miller dropped down a bunt single to score pinch runner Lucas Stearns for a 10-8 advantage.

“I try to get on base so we can get runners going, more people at bat and balls in play,” Miller said. “Coach Fish said we needed to act like it was Wiffle Ball and imagine a pretty intense game against our buddies. That’s what we did.”

Miller also flashed his defensive skills. He made a highlight-reel play for the first out in the bottom of the second. He made a lunging grab on a Jonathan Ramos shot up the middle. Miller bounced to his feet with his back to home plate and spun, delivering the ball to first in time for the out. He nearly replicated the play in the seventh, showing his range, arm strength and athleticism.

“I try to work as hard as I possibly can,” Miller said. “I do my best for the team. As a shortstop, I’m expected to make some of those plays.

“It just happened. It was subconscious (instinct).”

Fish said, “We’ve had some pretty darn good shortstops. That was one of the best plays I’ve seen.”

The Saints and Wolves traded leads. After Miller’s run in the first, Xavier answered with a sacrifice fly from Preston Lang and an RBI double from Jack Casey.

Marion (2-0) built a 5-2 lead with two in the second and scored one in the next two innings. The Saints tied with a Lucas Frost single to score Ramos in the fourth and Ramos’ two-run single the following frame.

Both teams scored three in the sixth. In the top of the seventh, Marion’s Kaiden Griffith led off with a solo home run to left field. Cade Madren followed with a double, giving way to Stearns. Trey Franck was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Goodrich with the game-winning run.

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Xavier (3-2) rallied again. Andrew Hamlett and Dom D’Amico drew bases loaded walks to pull the Saints within one with bases loaded and two out. Goodrich recorded a strikeout to end the game.

“We all worked in the offseason,” Miller said. “This is just one of many games to play. I think we have a really good chance to do well this year.”

Franck had three RBIs and Griffith had two hits and two RBIs for Marion.

Caleb Even had two hits and scored twice, while Lang, Ramos and Frost had two hits apiece for the Saints.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com