How this senior shortstop jumpstarts the offense for Jacksonville baseball

JACKSONVILLE — Garrett Meyer decided to make a run for it.

The prolific Jacksonville senior shortstop belted an RBI line drive to left field and barreled toward second base hoping to tie coach Cory Bunner’s doubles season record from 2004.

It was a long shot, though, and Lanphier applied the tag to end the second inning. Bunner turned back to the dugout not with chagrin but rather a chuckle.

“He got a good laugh out of that,” Meyer said.

Indeed, because Jacksonville already led 12-0 by that point.

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“If there's somebody that's going to tie it or break it, I'm totally fine with him doing it,” Bunner said. “It's fun. They're a fun group of kids and play the game the right way.”

Topping the list

Meyer didn’t tie Bunner’s record that senior night against Lanphier, but he did set the school record for most hits in a season. He beat Caleb Howell’s record of 55 hits from 2011 and enters the postseason with 57 total.

“He's been swinging it really well,” Bunner said. “He's a kid that puts a ton of work in, so it's nice when you see that work pay off.”

Meyer has manufactured a hit in all but one game this season, against Pittsfield on May 9. That put an end to a 24-game hitting streak.

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He still remains one double away from tying Bunner’s record of 16 doubles, and three runs from trying another season record going into Wednesday’s Class 3A Chatham Glenwood Regional semifinal against Rochester.

“I don't even think about my averages or stats,” Meyer said. “I just go out there and try hitting the ball as hard as I can and then the results come from there.”

Meyer ultimately has a .554 batting average with two home runs, 44 runs and 38 RBIs.

“He's a kid that deserves every bit of it and super proud of him,” Bunner said. “All of the guys this year we've really kind of righted the ship here towards the end of the year and playing really well at the right time. He's been one of the guys to kind of lead us for sure.”

Meyer recently returned to leadoff but showed over the course of the season that he can thrive in any spot of the hitting order.

“I like starting the game,” Meyer said. “It just gives my team confidence that if I can do it, they can do it.”

Bunner described Meyer as somebody who would gladly play any of the nine positions in the field to help the team.

“Having him at the top of the lineup for us has really been great just to kind of get us started because he's a guy that can put a ball in a gap and get you a double to start out the game,” Bunner said. “I think that's really what's helped us out here lately is him kind of just getting us jumpstarted.”

Next level talent

Meyer also has flourished on the mound. He has a 1.92 ERA with 63 strikeouts and 18 walks in 43 2/3 innings for the Crimsons, who finished the regular season 17-13-1.

Senior Nolan Decker, who will play at Illinois College, has made the most appearances in 52 innings with a 2.83 ERA and 66 strikeouts. Junior Quin Saxer follows with a 3.95 ERA in 33 2/3 innings.

But Meyer’s primary strengths lie in hitting and fielding, assets that he will next carry over to John Wood Community College.

Meyer pursued various sports at first but settled on baseball going into high school. He credited his dad, Jake, for helping him along the way.

“He's been my coach when I was little, probably like 8(U) all of the way up to 13U and then from there, I jumped coaches quite a bit,” Meyer said.

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He plans to get more reps in this summer with the local club Future Swings.

“I just love it,” Meyer said of baseball. “I love being out here on the field. And then it's always a good feeling to succeed in what I'm doing.”

Meyer said he particularly found confidence at the plate after hitting a home run against Rochester at the end of March. He hasn’t fiddled around with his approach since that time.

“Coach Bunner has always been like, if you're feeling yourself don't take too many swings during practice,” Meyer said. “I've listened to that. I don't really swing much and it's kept with me.”

Contact Bill Welt: (217) 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt 

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IHSA baseball: Garrett Meyer sets hitting record at Jacksonville