Jackson explodes for 30 runs in sweep

~ The weather has made it difficult to get games in.

The Jackson Senior Babe Ruth baseball team showed no signs of rust after several days off during Wednesday night's 19-1 five-inning win over SEMO North in the first game of a doubleheader.

Jackson missed several games because of rain and poor field conditions.

"After tonight, we will have only played 10 games and we were supposed to have played 20," Jackson coach Paul Sander said. "It gets a little frustrating and it's hard to keep the kids fired up when you get rained out every other night."

Jackson second baseman Spencer Sander, the son of the coach, said he didn't know how the team would come out and play after all the time off.

Jackson players wait to greet Ryan Bass at home plate after he hit a home run against SEMO North during the third inning of the first game. (Elizabeth Dodd)

"We hadn't played in a while," he said. "My dad just told us to go up there and relax and take swings at good pitches."

Jackson swept the doubleheader with an 11-0 victory in the second game.

Jackson came out swinging from the start, scoring two early runs in the first inning of the opener.

It scored six runs in the second inning to bust the game open.

But it didn't stop there.

SEMO North's Chase Smith flips over after diving for the ball during the Wednesday's first game.

Jackson scored 11 more runs in the third. The highlight of the inning was a three-run homer to deep left field by catcher Ryan Bass.

After the dust settled, the score was 19-0 after three.

Coach Sander said Jackson had its best game of the summer hitting wise.

"We just came out and took charge," he said. "We knocked the cover off the ball."

SEMO North never was able to rebound after a tough first three innings.

Jackson pitcher Austin Mueller had a good game as well. He pitched a complete game, striking out four batters and plunked two.

He didn't give up a hit until the top of the fifth inning.

"Austin has done a good job for us all summer," Sander said. "If we play defense for him as we did tonight, he's always got a good chance to win."

Mueller (3-0) helped himself by going 2-for-3 at the plate and driving in four runs.

Corey Speakman, who lasted two innings, took the loss in the opener.

Andrew Minson went four innings to pick up the win in the second game. He allowed two hits.

Bret Steffens collected two hits and walked once while driving in five runs to spark Jackson's offense. Bass and Sander each had two hits for Jackson, which improved to 10-0.