Eden Christian’s Jacob Janicki caps remarkable career with big game in state finals

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, June 22, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Jacob Janicki has been known for his ability to set the table quickly and efficiently.

A senior center fielder in 2025, Janicki batted in the leadoff spot in the Eden Christian Academy baseball team’s starting lineup — often serving as the table-setter for a boisterous first inning offensively for the Warriors.

“Jacob is a natural leadoff hitter,” Eden coach Mark Feldman said. “He makes contact a lot, has very few strikeouts and has great speed. His hands are very fast; he’s a great contact hitter.”

Janicki was the only senior on the Warriors’ playoff squad this spring and ended his accomplished high school career on a high note.

He went a career-best 4 for 4 and scored a run in a 14-3 loss to Southern Fulton from District 5 in the PIAA Class A championship game June 12 at Penn State’s Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the win,” Janicki said, “but I don’t think I could have asked for a much better way to go out. I knew going into that game that it was going to be my last (at Eden) and while that was very difficult to fully wrap my head around, it almost gave me peace just knowing that I would be able to go out there one more time and just give it all I had and leave it all out there.

“I just give all glory to God for the talent and abilities that he has blessed me with as a baseball player, and I’m just so thankful for all the great opportunities he has given me.”

Janicki singled in the first and second innings, doubled in the fourth and added another single in the sixth in his last career at-bat for the Warriors.

“I can’t say enough about Jacob,” Feldman said. “He is an incredible young person. He demonstrates every leadership characteristic you would want in a senior leader.

“He will be terribly missed next year. He is a really good baseball player, and he left a legacy within our program.”

Janicki apparently likes to hit in state championship games as he had two hits in two plate appearances in the 2024 PIAA finals.

He was a four-year team member and three-year starter for the Warriors. He is 18, stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 120 pounds. And he helped spark Eden to three PIAA championship games in four years along with a composite 67-19 team record.

The Warriors finished 17-2 in 2022, 12-5 in 2023 and 19-6 the past two seasons.

“Unfortunately, in 2023 we lost in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs,” Feldman said, “so we did not qualify for states. The 2023 team was arguably our most talented.”

Janicki played center field, left field and pitched at times in his career. He hit .294 as a sophomore, .302 as a junior and .382 as a senior.

This spring, he racked up a .500 on-base percentage, .566 slugging percentage and 1.066 OPS. He had 29 hits in 76 at-bats that included 21 singles, three doubles, four triples, one home run, 33 runs and 19 RBIs.

He ranked second on the team in stolen bases with 12.

Janicki hit .351 with runners in scoring position and had nine two-out RBIs.

On the mound, the right-handed hurler was 2-1 with three saves in three save opportunities. He posted a team-leading 1.67 ERA and fanned 24 in 291/3 innings, allowing seven earned runs and 24 hits.

Defensively, Janicki anchored the Eden outfield and didn’t commit an error all season. In fact, he committed just one error in his career.

The Warriors advanced to the WPIAL semifinals and PIAA championship game in Class A this season, finishing with a 19-6 record.

Eden, Serra Catholic and Bishop Canevin shared the Section 3-A crown with 8-2 records, ahead of Sewickley Academy (4-6), Clairton (1-9) and Monessen (1-9).

“First off, I just want to start with the fact that I am very proud of this team and the season we had,” Janicki said. “Going into the season, we knew it was going to be a challenge given how many seniors we graduated the year before, but I would say from Day 1 we never backed away from it. Every day we came with the mentality that we were going to work hard and get better, whether that was through practice or a game.”

As a multi-year varsity player, Janicki has many great memories from his outstanding baseball career.

“I think the one that comes to mind is getting my first varsity start in our first state playoff game my freshman year,” Janicki said. “We had so many great senior leaders my freshman year, and I learned so much from them throughout that season. I’m so thankful and grateful for the impact they had on me.

“I remember how nervous I was going into that game but they all believed in me and were just so excited for me. I remember specifically, right before my first at-bat, my third base coach called time and signaled me over to come talk to him. I can still remember how nervous I was going down to talk to him, but he helped calm me down and said, ‘Hey, if he gives you a first-pitch fastball and it’s there, don’t be afraid to take a good swing at it.’”

And that’s exactly what Janicki did.

“Sure enough, I stepped back into the box and the first pitch I got was a fastball over the plate,” he said. “I ended up hitting it into the gap for a double as my very first varsity hit. That’s one memory I will never forget, and it’s always so cool to look back on.

“That first varsity start in the state playoff game my freshman year was the only start I had that year.”

Janicki went on to be a fulltime varsity starter in each of the next three seasons.

“I played basketball during middle school but once high school hit, I shifted my focus toward only baseball,” he said.

The recent Eden graduate plans to attend Grove City College in the fall and major in exercise science.

“I again just want to give all glory to God for the truly great baseball career he blessed me with,” Janicki said. “It has been an absolute honor and a privilege to play for Eden and I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to do so. I have met so many wonderful people and have had so many great teammates and coaches who have truly been a blessing to me.

“I would specifically like to thank my head coach, coach Feldman, for all he has done for me and the truly amazing impact he has had on my life, not only as a baseball player but also as a person and a man of God. I am truly just so thankful and grateful for the time and experiences I’ve had and all the great memories I have made.”

Feldman was thankful to have a player with Janicki’s temperament and athletic makeup on the team.

“Jacob is a servant leader. He does anything you ask him to do,” Feldman said. “He is quiet but driven and highly competitive.

“Jacob will be missed by the coaching staff and his teammates next year.”

Tags: Eden Christian