Jackson fails to produce in clutch

After coming up with its share of clutch hits in the district tournament, the Jackson baseball team ran out of offensive magic on Thursday, dropping a 5-2 decision to Eureka in the Class 4 sectional game at Jackson.

The Indians (19-4) left seven runners on base, including back-to-back innings to start the game where Jackson had a runner on third with less than two outs.

"I know we left seven runners on, and there in the first few innings we left runners on third and couldn't get them in and they did," Jackson coach Rex Crosnoe said.

Eureka (19-6) jumped ahead by taking advantage of several early scoring chances.

The Wildcats picked up a run in the first when leadoff hitter Blake Slagle singled, stole second and came home on a two-out single by winning pitcher Tim Clubb.

In the second inning, Eureka used three straight singles to load the bases with one out. Jackson starter Jason Meystedt retired the next hitter on a shallow pop fly but walked Mike Bigogno to score a run. Eureka's No. 3 hitter, Ryan Mantle, followed with a two-run single. The Indians escaped further damage in that inning thanks to a Eureka baserunning mistake that caused the third out at third base. Still, Eureka was up 4-0 after only 1 1/2 innings.

"Baseball, especially this time of year, you have to take advantage of the opportunities when they present themselves," Eureka coach Michael Hunt said.

Jackson scored in the third with a run on two hits and an error, but again failed to capitalize on what could have been a big inning. The Indians had runners on first and third with one out when Meystedt struck out, his second strikeout with a runner on third and less than two outs.

Eureka bailed out the Indians when the third basemen made a wild throw to first on a routine grounder off the bat of Brandon Gendron. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, but Trey Busch grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.

With the score 4-1 after three innings and numerous baserunners to that point, Crosnoe said he figured the big inning was just around the corner.

"I kept thinking, you keep getting those chances, sooner or later you're going to get the hits," he said.

Jackson had baserunners on in three of its last four innings, but the Indians managed just one run over that span.

"We gave ourselves a chance. We had runners on," Crosnoe said. "We just didn't get the hits. That's a tip of the hat to [Clubb]. He bared down at those times and shut us out."

Hunt said Clubb, who is bound for Missouri State, did not have his best stuff but did what was necessary to win.

"I don't want to say he threw bad today, he just wasn't real sharp," Hunt said. "He had a lot of a lot of baserunners on and had to work hard."

Clubb got the job done, throwing a complete game. In seven innings, he struck out seven and allowed five hits. It was a nice change of pace for Eureka after using three pitchers in the first inning of a 17-16 win in the district championship game.

"I'd never been a part of a game like that ever," Hunt said. "This is more of what we're accustomed to."

Meystedt lasted 4 1/3 innings for the Indians, allowing all five runs on nine hits. Tyler Beussink did not allow a run in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Derrick Biri had three of the Jackson's five hits. Chad Minson also gave Jackson fans something to cheer about with a sparkling defensive play in the sixth when he threw a runner out from his knees after making a diving stop behind third base.

"I'm proud we won district. There's nothing to hand your heads about," Crosnoe said. "We were regular-season conference champs and district champs."

Eureka 5, Jackson 2

Eureka 130 010 0 -- 5 10 2

Jackson 001 001 0 -- 2 5 1

WP -- Tim Clubb. LP -- Jason Meystedt. 2B -- Derrick Biri (J). Multiple hits -- Eureka, Mike Hereid 2-3; Jackson, Biri 3-4. Records -- Eureka 19-6, Jackson 19-4.