Jackson edges Central to reach semifinals of SEMO Conference baseball tournament

~ The Indians took advantage of a fortuitous carom to advance to the semifinals with a 4-3 win over Central

Jackson High School senior Steven Eddy did plenty of damage to Central with his right arm.

The side of Eddy's upper torso also played a major role in host Jackson's 4-3 win over rival Central Monday afternoon in the opening round of the SEMO Conference baseball tournament.

Central had runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the seventh inning at Whitey Herzog Stadium.

Senior Calvin Lovig's smash up the middle appeared headed for center field as the tying run would have likely scored easily.

Central catcher Calvin Lovig talks to pitcher Chase Hagerty after Jackson scored two runs during the second inning Monday in the SEMO Conference tournament.

But the ball got a piece of Eddy's body and caromed to senior second baseman Ryan O'Rear, who threw out Lovig to nail down the victory.

"It got me on the side," said a smiling Eddy, the Indians' senior pitching ace. "I got a pretty good bruise for it, but otherwise we'd still be playing."

Jackson (16-5), the top-seed for the eight-team tournament, advanced to play fourth-seeded Sikeston at 6 p.m. today at Capaha Field in the semifinals. The championship will follow at about 8 p.m.

"We were fortunate at the end. Cape was the eighth seed, but they had as many conference wins as the fifth, sixth and seventh seeds. They're always tough," Jackson coach Tatum Kitchen said. "There is so much parity in this conference. We're really thrilled to win."

Central (6-18) will play fifth-seeded Kennett at 6 p.m. today at Notre Dame in the consolation semifinals. The fifth-place final will follow at about 8 p.m.

Jackson starter Steven Eddy pitches to a Central batter during the seventh inning of their first round game of the SEMO Conference tournament Monday, April 29, 2013 at Whitey Herzog Stadium in Jackson. (Fred Lynch)

"We've had quite a few tough games like that this year," Central coach Steve Williams said. "Our kids battled and we had a chance at the end. If the ball [hit by Lovig] doesn't hit him [Eddy], it's through to center field."

Eddy had another in a long line of impressive mound performances this season although he and Kitchen both thought the right-hander wasn't as sharp as in some other outings.

The Tigers still only managed four hits and one earned run. Eddy, who held Central hitless through four innings, struck out three and walked two.

"I wasn't as sharp as my other games, but I guess it was good enough to win," Eddy said. "It's always good to beat Central."

Especially since the Tigers handed conference co-champion Jackson its only league loss, 6-4 on March 26.

Jackson’s Ryan O’Rear steals third base as Central third baseman Sean Magee makes the tag during the fifth inning of their first-round game in the SEMO Conference tournament Monday at Whitey Herzog Stadium in Jackson. Jackson advanced to today’s semifinals with a 4-3 victory. More photos can be viewed at semoball.com. (Fred Lynch)

"It's always a tough game with Cape no matter what our seasons are," senior shortstop Laban Petzoldt said.

Both teams struggled defensively -- Central committed four errors and Jackson had three errors -- but each side also recorded some timely defensive plays.

Jackson turned three double plays while Central senior center fielder Kyle Thompson's diving catch with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth inning kept the score 4-3.

"I thought it was a pretty sloppy game for both of us. We were lucky to have one more run," Kitchen said. "Their center fielder made a nice catch or we would have had some more breathing room."

Central sophomore ace Chase Hagerty nearly matched Eddy, allowing three earned runs and seven hits. He struck out eight, walked one and hit a batter.

"Chase battled. He gave us a chance to win. That's all you can ask for," Williams said.

Jackson didn't need a hit to score an unearned run in the first inning.

Senior left fielder Trent Wills led off by reaching when his infield pop fly was dropped for an error.

Wills stole second, then stole third with one out -- Jackson swiped five bases in six attempts -- and came home on an RBI ground ball by senior first baseman Kyle James that was thrown away for an error.

Jackson made it 3-0 in the second. Senior center fielder Lane Thompson led off with a walk, junior catcher Jordan Hadden singled and Wills delivered a two-RBI double.

Central scored an unearned run without a hit in the fourth inning, but the Tigers could have had more.

An error and consecutive walks loaded the bases with nobody out, but Jackson limited the damage by turning a double play as Lovig scored.

The Tigers got their only earned run in the fifth inning on senior second baseman Tyler Anderson's RBI double that made it 3-2.

The Indians got a key insurance run in their half of the fifth on Petzoldt's RBI single to make it 4-2, then withstood the Tigers' unearned run in the sixth inning and their threat in the seventh.

"We both made errors, but we stepped up when we had to, and Eddy came up big," Wills said.

Hadden, Petzoldt and Wills all had two hits for Jackson. Anderson led Central with two hits.

Central 000 111 0 -- 3 4 4

Jackson 120 010 x -- 4 7 3

WP -- Steven Eddy. LP -- Chase Hagerty. 2B -- Tyler Anderson (C), Ramsey Scott (C), Trent Wills (J), Ryan O'Rear (J). Multiple hits -- Central: Anderson 2-3. Jackson: Wills 2-4, Laban Petzoldt 2-3, Jordan Hadden 2-3. Records -- Central 6-18, Jackson 16-5.