Host is at top of Jackson resume

~ The local team carries a 23-27 record into the five-team tournament.

Mark Lewis is just happy his Jackson American Legion baseball team is playing this week.

"Right now, were're one of 20 teams left in Missouri playing Legion baseball. To me, that's exciting," Lewis said. "It's a great opportunity for our program and our players."

Jackson is playing this week in one of the state's four zone tournaments only because it is the host team for the second time in three years.

Unlike 2005, when Jackson also was the District 14 tournament champion, Post 158 this time enters with a 23-27 record and was one of the first teams eliminated from the district tournament.

But, as Lewis notes, any team can advance to the state tournament.

"It doesn't matter if you're 50-1 or 1-50, you have to play the tournament and you have to win to go on," Lewis said. "Nothing is given to you; you have to earn it."

It won't be easy for Jackson. Post 158 again will have to cover the most ground in the five-team, double-elimination tournament, just as it did in 2005 when it played the role of gracious host and surrendered the bye to District 14 runner-up Cape Girardeau. That year, Jackson opened with District 13 champion Festus, which went on to win the state title and was the regional runner-up.

This time, Jackson will open with District 13 champion Rock Memorial (32-16) of Imperial in Jefferson County. The winner of that game takes on District 14 champion Dunklin County, which is coming off a sweep through its district tournament, including a 20-3 win in the finale against Scott County. The winner of that game would play Friday night in the winners bracket final against either Manchester, the champion of District 10 in St. Louis County; or Anheuser-Busch, the sole Legion program from the city of St. Louis.

If Jackson should fall into the elimination bracket, it becomes an even more difficult quest.

"We're excited," Lewis said. "Regardless of our record, we're ready to get after it."

Jackson is expected to send Ethan Devenport, from Clearwater High School, to the mound for Thursday's 8 p.m. game against Rock.

The District 13 champ has plenty of firepower with leadoff hitter Luke Schlechte (57 runs scored), Mike Luczak (.461 average) and Andrew Keating (31 RBIs and seven home runs).

Rock is the only team in the field that Jackson has not played this year.

Jackson was 1-3 against district rival Dunklin County, lost two high-scoring games to Anheuser-Busch and lost 12-2 against Manchester in the season-opener for both teams May 26.

Manchester brings in a 31-4 record and has won eight straight, including four in a row in the District 10 tourney.

"Four losses all summer is unbelievable," Lewis said. "We're just excited to have all these teams coming in for this tournament. It's going to be a good weekend.

"The zone tournaments are so fast. You find out pretty quick if you'll be getting the golf clubs out or packing to go to the state tournament."

Before Manchester is marked down as the favorite to reach the four-team field Aug. 9 to 11 in Jefferson City -- the state tourney host will not have an automatic bid -- it's worth noting that Rock has beaten Manchester 8-1 this season. And St. Louis County's District 10 has not produced a state champion since 1985, while districts 13 and 14 each have had two since then.

"We've got to come in and play our best baseball," said Lewis, who will have the services of leadoff hitter Blake Reiminger, who was ejected from Jackson's most recent game and would have been suspended for one more game under previous Legion rules. "The Jackson team I know played the last 10 or 12 ballgames we played, we're capable of beating anybody in this tournament."