Jackson fails to budge Rock in zone opener

~ The host suffered an 11-7 loss to Rock Memorial on Thursday night.

Jackson proved to be no pushover Thursday night in a first-round game at the American Legion zone tournament at Legion Field.

In a field of district champions, the sub-.500 host team battled Rock Memorial before succumbing 11-7.

The loss sends Jackson (23-28) into an elimination bracket game with Manchester (31-5). That game will start at 10 a.m., just 11 hours after Jackson's surprising rally fell short in the bottom of the ninth inning.

District 13 champion Rock (33-16) put up six runs in the top of the ninth, including Brad Bilbrey's grand slam to turn a one-run game into an 11-4 spread.

Jackson second baseman Isaac Kinnard tried to get a handle on a throw from the catcher as Rock Memorial's Josh Kraemer slid in safely with a stolen base during Thursday night's American Legion zone tournament at Jackson Legion Field. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

Jackson, which won one of three games in the District 10 tournament, answered with three runs, getting the tying run into the on-deck circle with no outs before Bilbrey came on to get the final three batters. He even retired the final batter, Ethan Devenport, on a grounder back to the mound.

Rock moves into the 1:30 p.m. winners bracket game against District 14 champion Dunklin County (25-17).

Anheuser-Busch (31-17) of St. Louis will await in the 8 p.m. winners bracket final.

Rock never trailed, but Jackson answered the early rallies.

Daniel Smith's home run to right field was Jackson's biggest blow of the night. But after Post 158 tied the score at 4-4 after five, Rock scratched in a run in the top of the sixth. Leadoff hitter Luke Schlechte drove in the go-ahead run in that frame after driving in a run in the fifth as well.

After Ben Faulkenberry had been hit by a pitch to open the sixth, he was sacrificed to second and took third on a wild pitch before Schlechte's two-out single into left.

Devenport, who started and pitched six innings for Jackson before moving to shortstop, was hurt by three wild pitches, including back-to-back deliveries in the fifth that each accounted for a run.

Jackson's offense put runners on base in every inning, but left 17 on base. Post 158 stranded the bases loaded in the second inning, when it had three tries to score a run, and in the sixth, when Smith was retired.

Rock struck first in the second inning with Josh Kraemer singling, stealing second, taking third on a passed ball and scoring on Brad Bilbrey's groundout.

Smith and Sam Lincoln walked to lead off the second inning. Dillon Jenkins bunted and Kraemer saved a wild throw by pitcher Tim VonderHaar to load the bases. VonderHaar then recorded a strikeout -- one of seven he had in four innings -- then induced a fielder's choice forceout at home on leadoff batter Blake Reiminger. Jake Hime flied out to end the threat.

Hime in the fourth drilled a double that drove in Blake Reiminger and tied the score at 1-1.

Rock's three-run fifth started with an infield error. After a sacrifice, Schlechte had his RBI single. Rock loaded the bases with two outs and put across two on the wild pitches.

Jackson's three-run rally against winner Kyle Ketcherside started with a basehit lined to the fence in left field by Isaac Kinnard. Smith then lined his homer to right. With two outs, Jenkins walked and came around on a double by Travis Hurst.

Jackson, after turning a nifty double play to end the seventh, put two runners on before Hime hit a ball that bounced off Ketcherside to second baseman Josh Burlison for the close play at first.

Rock's first six batters reached base and scored in the ninth against reliever Nick D'Amico. Bilbrey's clout, his first hit of the night, gave him five RBIs.

Schlechte walked and singled in the frame to finish 3-for-4 with two walks.

In the bottom of the ninth, Jackson was helped by three walks and an outfield error. D'Amico had an RBI walk and finished 2-for-4 with two walks.

Jackson had nine hits, with Hime adding two.

• In the opening game, Anheuser-Busch sent a message after finishing as the runner-up to Festus the past two seasons after losing its zone opener.

James Johndrow belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth for the winning margin. Tom Belgeri got the win in relief despite allowing the tying run in the top of the eighth. Nick Boeser pitched the ninth for the save.