ALTON – The Metro East Bears were facing a daunting task Sunday, the final day of the American Legion Great Lakes Regional baseball tournament.
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They had one loss in the double-elimination tournament and knew with another loss, they would be eliminated. They were facing Madison, Wis., a team that had dealt them a shutout loss Thursday night.
Enter Jake St. Peters, who got the ball for the Sunday opener and scattered four hits – none after the fourth inning – as the Bears advanced to the final with a 3-2 win over Madison. While they would eventually fall to Midland, Mich., 14-4 in eight innings in the final, St. Peters delivered for his team to give them a shot.
“My fastball was really working good today,” St. Peters said, “and things worked well overall. I'd had a sore shoulder but I knew a couple of days ago what might happen.
“I got my rest and took my time getting ready; I was ready to go and help the team when the time came.”
The Alton High pitcher tried to keep things in balance going into the start, considering the pressure. “I was staying calm about things and took it as it came,” St. Peters said. “I didn't want to put pressure on myself.”
That the Bears came together so quickly after the players had been competing against each other during the high school season mean much to St. Peters. “We blended well together,” he said. “It's a unique bond we have; there were some guys I had played against that I hadn't known before, and meeting them was pretty cool.
“Playing Legion baseball created a bond among ourselves. It was a great experience.”
