Gladstone Grad Jurek Pitches In JUCO World Series

GREENVILLE, Tenn.---Gladstone High School graduate Justin Jurek was the starting pitcher Saturday night for Delta College as the Pioneers faced Niagara (N.Y.) County Community College in the opening game of the NJCAA-III Baseball World Series.

Jurek and the Pioneers trailed, 15-2, in the fourth inning when heavy rain and lightning fell on the World Series site, Greenville, Tenn. The game was resumed on Sunday morning, and Delta College scored one run but lost on the five-inning mercy rule, 15-3.

Later on Sunday, the Pioneers defeated Prince George's (Md.), 6-4, in a loser's bracket game.

Jurek, a 2015 Gladstone graduate, pitched the Pioneers to a regional championship last week in Elgin, Ill. On Saturday, he gave up two runs in the top of the first inning before his teammates scored twice in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at 2-2.

Jurek was able to work a smooth second inning.

Jurek got two out in the third inning before giving up three runs on three hits.

Trailing 5-2, the wheels fell off in the fourth inning for Delta College, as the Niagara team scored ten runs, five of them off of Jurek, before he was lifted from the mound.

Jurek ended up being charged with eight runs on eight hits in three-plus innings. But even with the disappointing result, it marked a remarkable accomplishment for Jurek, who didn't even pitch during his senior season of high school due to an arm injury.

Jurek's older brother, Peyton, is also on the Delta College roster. He did not play during Saturday's game, but did play in right field when the game was resumed under sunny skies Sunday morning.

Peyton Jurek also came in to run in the ninth inning of Sunday's game against Prince George's.

Delta College (35-22) entered the eight-team World Series seeded seventh, and were decided underdogs against a second-seeded Niagara team that boasted a 43-8 season record.

But with the win over Prince George's, Delta College stays alive in the tournament, and is now one of the final six teams remaining in the field. The Pioneers will play again on Monday at 12:30 in another elimination game against Century (Minn.) College. You can tune in to all of the action from Tennessee, at no charge, by going to www.njcaatv.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos taken by Lori Jurek. Top photos is a screen shot from Saturday's World Series Internet broadcast. More photos will be added Monday evening.