Bobby Clark guides Jackson baseball past Cape Central 9-1

Jackson junior Bobby Clark worked plenty of magic on the mound Saturday.

The right-hander escaped jams in four of the six innings he pitched to lead the Indians past rival Central 9-1 on Saturday at Whitey Herzog Stadium.

"When they hit the ball, I missed spots and left it up," Clark said. "I just had to focus on keeping the ball down and hitting my spots and let my defense work."

Clark was pitching at less than 100 percent. He threw more than 120 pitches against Notre Dame on Tuesday, but told Jackson coach Tatum Kitchen he wanted the ball Saturday.

"It wasn't hurting, but my whole body was just sore and tired," Clark said of his right arm.

Jackson's Clay Baker takes a hack against Central during their game Saturday at Whitey Herzog Stadium. Baker drove in three runs as Jackson emerged with the 9-1 victory. (LAURA SIMON)

Clark also had to deal with some added pain during the game after he took a comebacker off the back of his right knee during the fourth inning.

"It hurt to push off the mound," Clark said about getting hit by a grounder off the bat of Andrew Williams.

Clark benefited from his team's offensive success. The Indians struck for at least one run in every inning but the fifth.

"It was real nice because I knew how many runs I had to work with," Clark said. "I just had to go out there and throw strikes."

Zach McDowell doubled home a run in the first for Jackson. Central looked poised to answer in the top of the second after it put its first two runners on base, but Clark coaxed a foul pop up then struck out a pair to escape the jam.

Jackson's Bobby Clark winds up during Saturday's game.

Clark led off the second with a single then looked like he'd been erased on a double play grounder by Tyler Koch. But Central was called for catcher's interference, which put runners on first and second with no outs instead of the bases clear with two outs. A Matt Crader single, an error and Tyler Qualls' bases-loaded walk plated three runs to pad the Indians' lead.

"We made too many mistakes today," Central coach Steve Williams said. "We had a couple errors and messed up a rundown situation and had a tough break on catcher's interference on a double play ball. You take those and we make those plays and maybe it's 2-1 or 3-1. As it was, the floodgates opened up a little bit and got away from us."

Dylan Koehler added a two-run double for the Indians in the third and Clay Baker's infield single plated a run in the fourth to give Jackson a 7-0 lead.

"We saw the pitch early and hit the ball in critical times when there were men on base in scoring position," Baker said. "We got runs throughout the game."

Central had two on with one out in the third, but the Indians turned a double play to pick up their pitcher. The Tigers again got the first two batters aboard in the fourth before Clark sandwiched a strikeout between a pair of groundouts.

Central pitcher Jamie Pickel watches his teammates bat against Jackson during Saturday's game.

"When they have people in scoring position, he has to hit his spots and he did well with that," Baker said of Clark. "We have to make the plays behind him and get at least one out and maybe turn two. He did a good job of getting out of the innings he had trouble with."

Central finally broke through against Clark in the sixth after getting the first two batters on base. Clark retired the next two before Andrew Hileman delivered an RBI single to center. But Clark escaped without allowing anymore damage, and Baker stroked a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth to erase any hope for the Tigers.

"We did a decent job of putting it in play and working deep in the count," Kitchen said of his team's offensive prowess.

Central 000 001 0 -- 1 7 2

Jackson 132 102 x -- 9 10 3

WP -- Bobby Clark. LP -- Josh Meyer. 2B -- Josh Hiett (C), Josh Compas (C), Logan Bartels (J), Zach McDowell (J), Dylan Koehler (J), Clay Baker (J). Multiple hits -- Central: Meyer 3-4; Jackson: Clark 2-3, Tyler Koch 2-3, Baker 2-4. Records -- Central 7-6, Jackson 7-4.