Jackson grinds out 14-inning win at PB

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- It took 14 innings and two nail-biting escapes Wednesday but the Jackson High School baseball team finally bested Poplar Bluff.

Cody Harris provided the go-ahead hit with a two-run double to deep left field, breaking a 1-1 tie in the 14th inning as the visiting Indians won 4-1 in SEMO Conference play.

"We had to grind the whole game," Harris said. "They had two strikes on me and I just tried to put it in play and help our team.

"I got ahold of one."

Jackson (12-5, 6-1 SEMO Conference) wrapped up at least a share of the regular-season title in conference play with the win, the first for the Indians since sharing the crown in 2008.

It also gave Jackson an edge in the race for the top seed in the district tournament which also features Poplar Bluff (11-3, 4-2).

"It's just a great game and we're just happy to win," Jackson coach Tatum Kitchen said.

The Mules left the winning run stranded at third base in the eighth, 10th and 12th innings.

Steven Eddy threw 10 innings for the Indians, allowing one unearned run on 11 hits, a walk and four strikeouts. The senior ran out of innings by rule after 122 pitches, the final one striking out Poplar Bluff's No. 5 hitter with the bases loaded.

"We took him out and he was like 'I've got two more' but legally you can't go anymore," Kitchen said. "He threw strikes. He was up a little bit early but I think he settled into a groove."

From left, Jackson’s Collin Herzog, Laban Petzoldt and Kyle James celebrate after Petzoldt and James scored on Cody Harris’ double in the top of the 14th inning Wednesday. The hit broke a 1-1- tie. (Brian Rosener ~ Daily American Republic)

Eddy's two-out RBI double in the fourth pulled the Indians even.

Collin Herzog earned the win after four innings of relief. The junior got out of a jam in the 12th after a leadoff double by No. 9 hitter Alex Lewis.

Following a sacrifice bunt that moved Lewis to third, Kitchen intentionally walk the bases loaded for clean-up hitter Jeffrey Rowland. The senior, who had a walk-off hit on April 11, fouled off two pitches with a 1-2 count before hitting a grounder to first for the second out at the plate. Herzog then struck out the next hitter, senior Logan Faith.

An intentional walk in the 10th loaded the bases with one out for the Mules.

Lewis led off with a single before a sacrifice bunt. Brandon Stuckenschneider moved Lewis to third on an infield hit with high hopper up the middle. After walking Josh King, Eddy got an infield fly to second base before his final pitch of the day struck out Faith, who had fouled off the four previous pitches.

"It's one of those things where you kind of dance with the devil putting people on twice but you get to that point where we weren't giving them anything because they had a man at third," Kitchen said. "We're just fortunate we made pitches and made plays."

In all, the Mules stranded 16 runners, half in scoring position, and six of their 13 hits came with two outs.

"We've got to win the game," said Mules coach Stan Bullington of the extra-inning chances. "We've got to win it there and we didn't do it."

The Indians got consecutive two-out hits in the fourth to tie it starting with a single by Harris. Eddy's double to the wall in the left-field gap then tied it.

Jackson stranded just seven runners and managed four hits in five innings against Stuckenschneider, Poplar Bluff's sophomore starter. Wesley Pyles pitched eight innings in relief, fanning eight, walking four and allowing no runs on two hits. Drew Dowd took the loss, pitching the 14th.

Poplar Bluff's left-handed pitchers and King, the catcher, shut down Jackson's run game by throwing out three runners. The Mules also turned two double plays and did not commit an error for the third game this season.

"They played great," Harris said. "We beat a solid team. They're a good one to beat."

In the 14th, Kyle James and Laban Petzoldt drew one-out walks against Dowd, who got ahead 0-2 against Harris but just missed on the next pitch. Harris took the next offering to deep left, easily scoring both runs.

Stuckenschneider made a diving catch running in from left for the second out but the Indians went up 4-1 on Lane Thompson's double to left.

"We're just very fortunate to have so many seniors on the team that have kind of been there a lot," Kitchen said. "We're elated right now."

Jackson 000 100 000 000 03 -- 4 8 1

Pop. Bluff 010 000 000 000 00 -- 1 13 0

WP -- Collin Herzog. LP -- Drew Dowd. 2B -- Cody Harris (J), Steven Eddy (J), Lane Thompson (J), Wesley Pyles (PB) 2. Multiple hits -- Jackson: Kyle James 2-5, Cody Harris 2-5, Lane Thompson 2-6; Poplar Bluff: Alex Lewis 3-6, Wesley Pyles 2-6, Logan Faith 2-6, Jeffrey Rowland 2-6, Brandon Stuckenschneider 2-5. Records -- Jackson 12-5, Poplar Bluff 11-3.