Durango suffers first loss

Spencer Patterson

Wednesday, March 27, 2002 | 10:30 a.m.

Through their first 13 games, the Durango Trailblazers had managed to stay unbeaten despite limited contributions from their ace, senior right-hander Jeff Jacobsen.

On Tuesday, the Blazers' suffered a reversal of fortune. Jacobsen pitched his best game of the season, but his team was unable to back up his effort, managing just two hits in a 2-1 eight-inning loss to Rim of the World (Calif.).

"He was dominant out there," Blazers coach Mike Gomez said. "He did a great job. But we've been struggling at the plate all year, and it was just a matter of time before it caught up to us."

The defeat knocks Durango (13-1) out of contention for the title at its Blazer Spring Bash, dropping the hosts into a consolation contest today. The Trailblazers will also undoubtedly drop from the No. 11 spot they occupy in this week's Baseball America national rankings.

"One of their goals from the beginning of the season was to have a perfect season, but there's too much competition in this state for that," Gomez said. "Hopefully (this loss) will just turn out to be an advantage for us."

Jacobsen, who entered the game without a victory and with a team-worst 5.25 ERA, pitched well enough to win, scattering nine hits over eight innings, fanning nine and walking three.

But the Trailblazers never solved Rim of the World pitchers Toph Grenfell and Ryan Hartsock, who combined to strike out nine batters and allow just two singles. Hartsock, who relieved Grenfell to open the fourth, was particularly impressive, stranding two baserunners in scoring position to hold Durango scoreless over the final five innings

"He came in and really did a nice job," said Fighting Scots coach Bob Gradillas, whose club improved to 12-1. "He's mentally tough -- that's the key for him."

After the teams traded unearned runs early, Rim of the World pushed across the game-winner in the top of the eighth. Jason Granger reached on an infield single and scored on Jared Sullivan's two-out double to deep left field.

Sullivan (3-for-4) and Grenfell (2-for-4) finished with multiple hits for the victors.

In an early game on Tuesday, Durango knocked off Cleveland High School (Calif.) 7-2 behind back-to-back fourth-inning home runs from Coltyn Simmons and Danny Kelly.

Adam Brown tossed a four-hitter for the Blazers, while Kelly, Simmons, Don Sutton and Nick Bumstead all contributed two hits.