Jackson baseball team's season ends with extra-inning loss to Eureka in quarterfinal

The outcome wasn't what Jackson baseball coach Bryan Austin and his team had hoped for, but he didn't express his disappointment following the Indian's Class 5 quarterfinal against Eureka on Thursday afternoon.

Instead Austin appreciated the nail-biting pitcher's duel that his squad had played in after the Indians lost to the Wildcats 2-0 in eight innings to end their season short of the final four.

"It was a great baseball game -- 0-0 going into extras," Austin said. "They got the hit at the right time and it was one of those situations where you just kind of look at it and it's just, 'That's how baseball is sometimes.' Baseball's a cruel game. They got the hit that they needed to and we didn't."

Eureka, which scattered four hits over the first seven innings, strung together three consecutive singles after the first two batters were retired in the eighth.

Center fielder Brett Geisz drove in the game-winning run with a single. It was his only hit of the game.

"Yeah, it was just, your body gets tired. It happens," Jackson junior starting pitcher Gavon Turner said. "I can't help but feel bad for these seniors. I went out there in the eighth inning thinking I could stop them, and I tip my cap to them."

Jackson catcher Colten Weber looks to the dugout for a signal from coach Bryan Austin after Eureka scored in the eighth inning of a Class 5 quarterfinal, Thursday, May 28, 2015, at Whitey Herzog Stadium. Eureka won 2-0 in overtime. (Laura Simon)

Turner issued his only walk of the game to cleanup hitter Andrew Colin in the next at-bat to load the bases before a pitching change was made.

Sophomore shortstop Jarrett Newell relieved Turner and issued a bases-loaded walk to the first batter he faced to make it 2-0.

Eureka's Hayden Theodore Zadrozinski, left, and Zach Seiler celebrate Zadrozinski's run in the eighth inning of a Class 5 quarterfinal against Jackson, Thursday, May 28, 2015, at Whitey Herzog Stadium. Eureka won 2-0 in overtime. (Laura Simon)

Jackson sophomore catcher Colten Weber recorded the Indians' third and final hit of the game with two outs in the bottom of the eighth before a groundout ended it.

The Indians had four base runners the entire game. Wildcats senior starting pitcher and Murray State signee Blake Clynes retired the first 11 batters he faced before senior third baseman Cameron Duke singled to right with two outs in the bottom of the fourth.

Senior left fielder Ben Maudie then got a popup to drop in right for a base hit that advanced Duke to third. Maudie attempted to take second on the play but was called out for stepping out of the base path to end the inning.

"I took a big round and then I saw the kid kind of jogging in and no one was at second so I figured I'd try to take it," Maudie said. "Just trying to be aggressive in the game and in that case came up short."

Jackson would not have another base runner until Maudie drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the seventh.

"Our runner at first just tries to take an extra base and just so be it that it got called that he was out of the base line, so they made the out based off of that," Austin said. "That was a big spot for us. There's nothing much you can do about it."

Clynes secured the win on the mound with his complete-game shutout of the Indians. He struck out eight batters and issued only one walk.

"All I've got to say is hats off to him," Maudie said. "He threw a heck of a game on the mound and he was locating everything he was throwing. *... You know you're going to see a good pitcher, but it's tough when you come up and see someone that good."

Jackson coach Bryan Austin gets his players going in the fifth inning of Class 5 quarterfinal against Eureka, Thursday, May 28, 2015, at Whitey Herzog Stadium. Eureka won 2-0 in overtime. (Laura Simon)

Turner was nearly as impressive for the Indians. He gave up a single on his first pitch of the game but stranded the runner on second with a strikeout and a groundout.

Clynes led off the second with a double and advanced to third on a groundout, but a pop up and a strikeout left him there. Turner allowed a single in both the fourth and sixth innings before the Wildcats strung together three hits in the eighth.

Turner was tabbed with the loss after allowing two earned runs over 7 2/3 innings. He walked one and recorded four strikeouts.

"He was fantastic," Austin said. "He was locating three pitches, too, and he was matching a guy that's going to Murray State pitch for pitch. That says a lot about him. Also our defense played great today behind him."

Eureka (24-4) will play the winner of Friday's quarterfinal between Lee's Summit West and Staley in a state semifinal June 5.

Jackson ended its season with a record of 22-11.

"This group of seniors kind of set the standard for our program," Austin said. "They set the standard for what is expected in the offseason and how you carry yourself and how you go about your business, and that's a situation that will last forever."

Eureka 000 000 02 -- 2 7 0

Jackson 000 000 00 -- 0 3 0

WP -- Blake Clynes. LP -- Gavon Turner. 2B -- Clynes (E). Multiple hits -- Eureka: Austin DesRoche 2-4, Bo Highfill 2-3, Clynes 2-3.