Jackson baseball team advances to district semifinals

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Logan Bartels did his best Houdini act in the top of the sixth inning Monday.

It was exactly what the Jackson baseball team needed to hold off North County in its Class 4 District 1 tournament opener.

Bartels escaped a second-and-third, no-out situation to help the third-seeded Indians slip past the sixth-seeded Raiders 4-3 at Rozier Wilson Park.

Jackson will play second-seeded archrival Central for the third time this season in today's 7 p.m. semifinal. The Indians won the two previous meetings.

"I'm very pleased to come out with the win," Jackson coach Tatum Kitchen said. "I told them in district, whether it's by one run or 100 runs, you just want to win."

Jackson's Austin Fowler, left, and Trent Wills celebrate their 4-3 victory over North County in the Class 4 District 1 tournament Monday in Farmington, Mo. (Kristin Eberts)

Jackson (13-7) had just scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning when North County (8-13) appeared poised to at least tie things.

A leadoff walk, Bartels' own throwing error on a sacrifice attempt and another throwing error put runners on second and third with nobody out.

Bartels was undaunted. The senior right-hander escaped the threat with two infield popups and a fly ball to center.

"I knew it was going to be tough," Bartels said about the sixth-inning jam. "I just focused on hitting my spots, trying to get outs."

Said Kitchen: "He did a great job of making pitches. We got out of there just when we needed to."

Bartels closed out the victory with a perfect seventh inning, the final out coming on a dazzling play by junior shortstop Clay Baker.

Baker made a diving stop on a smash by Justin Ruby, quickly jumped to his feet and threw out Ruby with plenty to spare.

"I felt good," said Bartels, who allowed six hits while striking out seven and walking two. "I just let my defense get outs."

Kitchen said Bartels might not be the most physically imposing hurler in the area, but he gets the job done.

"He's just a winner," Kitchen said. "There are guys in Southeast Missouri who throw harder, who have better stuff. He just goes out and does it."

North County, despite being the No. 6 seed in the seven-team district, gave the Indians all they wanted.

Kitchen said that was not surprising considering the previous two meetings between the squads. North County beat Jackson 2-1 in 10 innings last week. The Indians clipped the Raiders 1-0 in the 2010 district final.

"They're a tough one to beat," sophomore second baseman Laban Petzoldt said. "It was close. We just came out on top."

Petzoldt aided the cause with two of Jackson's seven hits, both doubles. He drove in a run and scored the eventual winning run in the fifth inning.

"I was a little nervous at the beginning of the game, but after that I was all right," Petzoldt said.

Petzoldt led off the fifth with a double to right-center. Junior first baseman Trevor Jaco bunted with the idea of sacrificing Petzoldt to third. Jaco did even better when he beat out the bunt for a single.

Senior right fielder Bobby Clark's ground ball to short brought in Petzoldt one out later to put Jackson up 4-3. Clark had a double and two RBIs in the game.

"We got some key hits," Kitchen said. "Laban is just a sophomore but he has been good all year."

Petzoldt's two-out RBI double in the third inning gave Jackson a 1-0 lead.

North County scored all three of its runs in the fourth inning, using three hits and an error to go ahead 3-1.

Jackson answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, collecting four of its seven hits. Clark had an RBI double to score Baker, who had singled. Clark came home on a wild pitch.

The Indians then went ahead for good in the fifth and held on to advance.

"We were expecting a good game," Bartels said. "We were just trying to do our best to win."

North County 000 300 0 -- 3 6 1

Jackson 001 210 x -- 4 7 4

WP -- Logan Bartels. LP -- Justin Ruby. 2B -- Laban Petzoldt (J) 2, Bobby Clark (J). Multiple hits -- North County: Kaleb Warden 2-4. Jackson: Petzoldt 2-3. Records -- North County 8-13, Jackson 13-7.