Neal Jacobs continues hot streak with grand slam against Calvin College
It wasn’t redshirt freshman outfielder Neal Jacob’s first home run, but this one was special nonetheless.
With the baseball team leading Calvin College 2-0 in the bottom of the third inning, the Avon, Ohio native hit a towering fly ball over the left field fence, clearing the bases with his first grand slam as a Chippewa.
“It’s not the first grand slam I’ve hit,” Jacobs said. “I had a couple in high school, but this was my first in college, and, in college, it feels real good.”
Jacobs’ grand slam was part of a nine-run third inning, which allowed CMU to jump out to a strong lead against the visiting Knights.
The grand slam comes on the heels of Jacobs’ Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week honor, which he received for the second time this season earlier in the day.
“I’ve really been seeing the ball lately,” Jacobs said. “I changed my approach a little bit by sitting on my pitch and not chasing as much. I also changed my stance a little bit.”
Jacobs was hot last week, batting .563 (9-for-16) with five runs scored and four RBI in the Chippewas’ four games versus Oakland and Ball State, leading the team to a 3-1 record.
Head coach Steve Jaksa said Jacobs' ability to put bad at-bats behind him has been key in his recent success. The grand slam came after he struck out chasing a ball out of the zone in the second inning.
“The thing that Neal has been able to do is come back after bad at-bats and put together a good at-bat,” Jaksa said. “That’s the consistency we want, that if something bad happens, you can put that to the side. That was a big at-bat with the bases loaded. He put himself and his approach in the moment. Neal does a good job at that, and I think he continues to get better. “
So far this season, Jacobs is third on the team, batting .301. and is second on the team with 27 RBI and leads the team in home runs with six.
