Host Jackson is first to part zone tournament

~ Manchester pounds out a 13-1 victory in an elimination game.

It was two and out for the Jackson American Legion team in the Zone 4 tournament, making Post 158 the first team eliminated.

No surprise there, as host Jackson was the only team to come into the tournament with a losing record. And the zone schedule called for the loser of Thursday's late game to turn right back around and play again Friday at 10 a.m.

Thus, Jackson was overmatched by Manchester pitcher Nick Peterson in a 13-1 elimination bracket loss that lasted just seven innings Friday morning.

While Jackson finished the season 23-29 and lost four of its last five games in district and zone play, coach Mark Lewis could see the future benefits of hosting this year's zone tourney, receiving the automatic berth and facing high-caliber competition.

Jackson Legion first baseman Ryan Cheney caught a pop fly over his shoulder in foul territory during Friday's elimination game against Manchester Legion in the zone tournament at Jackson Legion Field. (Kit Doyle)

"You get to this point of the season, that's all you're going to see the rest of the way out," Lewis said. "Those are tournament-type games. You've got pressure on you, and I enjoy that for our young guys. They got in situations where they're going to be able to use that for next year by being in big ballgames where every pitch is pressure."

Jackson trotted out a good number of young guys Friday. Seven of the 10 players in the starting lineup are eligible to return in 2008.

Among them is Jake Hime, the Clearwater High School senior-to-be who clubbed a solo home run in the third inning for Jackson's only run.

Peterson scattered eight hits, giving up a double to Dillon Jenkins and six singles. He allowed no hits over the final three innings, as Manchester padded its lead with six runs to end the game early. Peterson struck out five.

"He did a great job keeping the ball low and away and just hitting his spots," Jackson shortstop Nick D'Amico said. "Nothing overpowering or anything. He just pitched well."

Hime was the only player to have multiple hits for Jackson.

Manchester had four, including the pitcher himself. Peterson was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Matt Crowley and Curtis Ford each had three hits, while Eric Glassl had two hits.

Manchester (32-5) advanced to Friday evening's game against Dunklin County, which lost 19-2 to Rock Memorial in a game earlier Friday.

That showed how well Jackson hung with Rock on Thursday night, and how well Ethan Devenport, a Three Rivers-bound Clearwater graduate who has Legion eligibility next year, pitched against Rock by allowing five runs in six innings. Only one of the runs was earned, as a passed ball contributed to Rock's first run and an error opened the three-run fifth inning.

"I felt really good about it," Devenport said. "We had a couple of defensive errors, but you've got to battle through it."

"He gave us what we needed," Lewis said.

"To be honest with you, the first game of the tournament for us, I thought we played well," Lewis said. "We were in the ballgame -- it was 5-4 going into the ninth -- and I felt good about the way we played."

Lewis, after watching Rock pepper several Dunklin County pitchers, was even more encouraged about his team's performance.

"I wasn't disappointed in both efforts," Lewis said. "I was disappointed with the losses but not with the kids and the way they came out and played.

"As far as I'm concerned, how I feel about this club wasn't changed in the districts or in the tournament here. I was thrilled with the way we came out and played our last 15, 20 ballgames in the regular season and at the end."