After spending his junior season at the junior varsity level, Jacoby Roberson was determined to win a starter’s role with the Edwardsville Tigers as a senior.
“I knew from the beginning that was going to get my spot on the team. I bulked up during the summer and was able to hit some more balls into the outfield,” Roberson said. “Everybody else was surprised, but I wasn’t.”
Count coach Tim Funkhouser as surprised.
“Jacoby, I wouldn’t have anticipated Jacoby impacting our team as much, if you would have talked to me at the end of last year,” Funkhouser said. “The way he worked in the weight room, every day. And the way he started off early, within our tryouts, he was, I’m not just trying to be a part of the team, I’m trying to win a job. And then he did it over and over again.”
Roberson’s hard work paid off, as he was the starting left fielder this past season for the Tigers, who won the program’s fourth state championship with a 4-3 victory over Mundelein on June 10 in Joliet.
And now, Roberson will have the opportunity to play college baseball.
Roberson will play for Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne.
“I’m really excited,” Roberson said. “I was able to go there for a visit and the coaches showed me around the place. The facilities are really nice.”
A member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Indiana Tech competes in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.
Under the guidance of coach Kip McWilliams, the Warriors have won five conference tournament championships and four regular-season. They have made 12 postseason appearances.
Indiana Tech went 32-21 last season, including 15-7 in conference action.
Roberson is excited to join the program.
“That was definitely at the top of my list with baseball and being able to play,” Roberson said.
Like this past season at Edwardsville, Roberson said he is going to have to earn playing time. He’s ready for the challenge.
“They have a big roster with between 60-70 players,” Roberson said. “I enjoy the challenge of it. I kind of already had to do it with this team. I play well under pressure.”
With the Tigers as a senior, Roberson hit .366 with a home run and 18 RBI. After not earning an at-bat as a junior, he went 26 for 71 with 20 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.
During the postseason, Roberson was 5 for 13 with three runs scored and an RBI.
Against Plainfield North in the Class 4A Illinois Wesleyan Super-Sectional, he was 2 for 2 with two walks. The second walk helped extend Edwardsville’s seventh-inning rally that ended with a walk-off base hit for the 3-2 win.
“Jacoby had some great at-bats for us this season. It was an outstanding season for him that really helped out the team,” Funkhouser said.
Roberson said he will always remember his senior season with the Tigers.
“It was a blast. It is going to be the most memorable season that I have ever played,” Roberson said.
Roberson wants to study electrical engineering at Indiana Tech.
