A pitcher who can hit, or ... A hitter who can pitch

Jackson baseball opponents saw more than their fair share of No. 30 on the base paths this season.

Indians senior Jason Meystedt, who dons the No. 30 jersey, got on base in more than half his plate appearances, finishing with a .529 on-base percentage. Meystedt was second on the team with a .412 batting average to go along with 17 walks.

Meystedt's big season at the plate helped lead the Indians to their first district title since 2002, and earned the left-hander the honor of Southeast Missourian Player of the Year.

"I just kept hitting the ball solid throughout the season," Meystedt said. "I didn't give up, didn't let down. I never got in a slump.

"Having the hitters behind and in front of me helped out a lot too. It kind of took off the pressure having someone in scoring position every at-bat."

Added Jackson coach Rex Crosnoe: "He had high expectations for himself and he did well."

It was a banner season for the Indians, who finished 19-4 overall and a 9-0 in the SEMO Conference.

Meystedt, the SEMO Conference player of the year, said he was a disappointed the team could not advance past the sectional round.

"I really think our team was happy with what we did with the district championship, but we were really looking forward to going on to the next level," he said.

Hitting out of the No. 3 hole in a veteran lineup that included seven seniors, Meystedt provided a powerful bat for a Jackson offense that averaged more than seven runs a game. In 68 at-bats, Meystedt finished with 28 hits. Of those 28 hits, 16 went for extra bases. Meystedt led the team with seven home runs and nine doubles for an .853 slugging percentage. Those power numbers led to a team-high 28 RBIs. Meystedt also scored 24 times and added eight stolen bases.

"Those are pretty gaudy numbers at whatever level you're at," Crosnoe said.

Meystedt said his power numbers did take him by surprise.

"The homers just came. I wasn't expecting seven home runs, I just put the bat on the ball," he said.

When opposing teams tried to pitch him away, they ended up pitching to his strength.

"Usually whenever the pitcher pitches me outside, I usually hit the ball better," Meystedt said. "I have a strong bat to the opposite field. It seems like my power alley is to left-center."

Along with his offensive production, Meystedt also led the Indians with 59 2/3 innings pitched in eight starts.

Meystedt finished with a 2.46 ERA along with a team-high 52 strikeouts. Meystedt finished with a 5-3 record and led the team with five complete games. In his three losses, Jackson scored a total of two runs.

"Pitching-wise, he threw in a lot of our big games and threw well," Crosnoe said.

But back-to-back seasons hitting over .400 with 20-plus RBIs caused his bat to overshadow his accomplishments on the mound.

"My first year I was more looking toward pitching," Meystedt said. "Then my hitting just came on. I ended up more of a hitter than a pitcher."

Meystedt recently signed to play baseball at Southeast Missouri State University next season.

"Hopefully the end of my high school career is not an ending, but a beginning of things to come," Meystedt said.