Indians' sixth trips up Tigers

For a team that has had its share of troubles in the field this season, a one-error game would be considered an improvement for Central's baseball team.

Unfortunately, the Tigers' one error on Thursday cost them two runs -- including the go-ahead run -- in a 7-3 loss at rival Jackson.

Jackson (15-6) loaded the bases with one out in the sixth and the score tied at three. Central (5-12-1) freshman Brad LaBruyere forced Jackson's Trevor Thompson to hit the ball on the ground to third but a throw in the dirt got away from Central catcher Matt Hellrich, allowing two runs to score.

"We rushed it a little," Central coach Steve Williams said of the throw. "I felt like we had a little more time than we thought."

Jackson plated two more runs in the sixth for its second win over Central in four days. The Indians had used a four-run sixth on Monday to beat Central 4-2 in the SEMO Conference tournament quarterfinals.

Despite scoring the winning run on an error, Jackson made its own breaks most of the game. The Indians put their leadoff man on base five times and had at least one hit in every inning.

"I don't believe we had too many strikeouts," Jackson coach Rex Crosnoe said. "We put the ball in play, and in high school baseball you never know what can happen."

Central strikes firstCentral started the scoring with a run in the top of the first on Patrick Slattery's third home run of the season. Slattery parked the first pitch he saw deep over the left-field fence.

Coming off a 10-4 loss to Poplar Bluff on Wednesday and playing their fourth game in five days, the Indians were wary of getting behind early. Jackson took care of that problem by sending men to the plate in the bottom of the first and scoring two runs.

"It was a tough loss Wednesday; they put it to us," Crosnoe said of the Poplar Bluff game. "I was really happy with the way we responded today. They got one in the first, and we responded with two."

Jackson led 3-1 before the Tigers scored a pair in the fourth to tie the game. Indians starter Tyler Beussink pitched around three errors to pick up his second win over the Tigers this week. Beussink allowed five hits, three walks and struck out four.

"Basically, when you play Central, they're not going to strike out," Beussink said. "You have to get ground balls and fly-outs, and that's what I did."

Jackson pounded out 13 hits off LaBruyere, who went all six innings for Central. Trey Busch went 4-for-4 out of the seven spot, and Beussink, the No. 9 hitter, had two hits. Jackson also got a pair of hits from leadoff man Derrick Biri.

"We've got a good hitting ball club one through nine," Beussink said. "Our first four or five batters, you can count on that someone's going to get a hard hit somewhere."

Central has lost four straight after winning four in a row. LaBruyere (1-1) picked up his first varsity loss. The Tigers could meet Jackson again in the district tournament.

"It's a situation where we can play with them, we just have to figure out a way to finish games," Williams said.

jjoffray@semissourian.com

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