Jackson growing through success with latest W over Dexter

DEXTER – There was only one player (junior Cooper Rhodes) in Jackson High School’s varsity lineup on Thursday who was in the everyday lineup a year ago. So, this spring SHOULD be a learning process for the Indians.

“We give (our players) a little bit of grace,” second-year Indian coach Josh Roach said following an 8-1 rout of Dexter at East Park in Dexter. “We know that they are not going to make every single play. We know that they are going to make mistakes but understand that we trust in you that you’re going to figure it out.”

Jackson seemingly has “figured it out,” fairly well after beating the Bearcats (1-2) and improving to 5-1 overall.

The Indians got phenomenal pitching from three arms, including sophomore starter Carter Shipman, to limit Dexter to just one hit.

“You’re here for a reason,” Roach said of his message to his young team. “You are in this spot because we feel like you are the best person.

“I feel like our players have confidence that they know their coaches have their back.”

Shipman opened the game by working three innings and allowed the one Dexter hit, no runs, no walks, and struck out three batters.

Of his 44 pitches thrown, Shipman threw strikes on 27 of them.

Senior Brynson Garcia was just as effective. He threw a couple of innings and 25 of his 33 pitches were for strikes, as he didn’t allow a hit or an earned run while walking one and striking out three.

Despite the loss, second-year Bearcat coach Steven Edwards was “happy with our guys.”

“We’re grinding,” Edwards said. “We’re working. We are working on the little things. We are extremely young.”

The Bearcats started three freshmen, including Justus Lovelady (left field and second base), Jaxon Miller (catcher), Trey Pedigo (catcher and pitcher), and a sophomore (Houston Neely (shortstop).

Jackson got a couple of runs in the second inning with junior Drake Weber lining a lead-off single into center field.

Garrison Brown brought Weber home with a fielder’s choice while Rhodes connected for a double that scored Flinn.

The Indians added another run in the third inning and two more in the fourth for a 5-0 margin before Dexter got on the board.

Lovelady reached on a Jackson miscue and stretched the play to second base. He later scored on another Jackson error.

“It’s a growing process,” Roach said. “We know there are going to be scuffles and mistakes, and we saw a few today.”

Indian senior Owen Osborne paced his team with a couple of hits from his designated hitter spot.

Osborne also scored twice while Rhodes (one hit, two RBI, one walk), Jaiden Glency (one hit, one run, one RBI), Peyton Kight (one run, one RBI, one walk), Weber (one hit, one run), Drew Parsons (one hit, one run, one RBI), Flinn (one run, one RBI, two walks), and Brown (one run, one RBI) also contributed.

Rhodes, Parsons, and Osborne each had doubles while Glency had three stolen bases, and Flinn (two), Rhodes (two), Brown (two), Parsons, Osborne, and Kight also stole bases.

Senior pitcher Aiden Shaver closed the game for Jackson by throwing two innings and allowing no hits or runs, walking three, and striking out one.

Jackson closed the game by scoring three runs in its final at-bat.

Lovelady not only had the lone Bearcat hit, but he also scored the one run and drew a walk.

Dexter junior Beau Carrier had a couple of walks drawn while Pedigo drew one walk.

Bearcat senior Ryan Young threw three innings in the start and allowed four hits, four earned runs, and walked a couple of hitters.

Pedigo worked the final four innings and gave up two hits, three earned runs, two walks, and struck out three.

Jackson, which is ranked No. 4 in Class 6, will host Farmington (5-1) on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

Dexter will travel to New Madrid County Central (0-3) today at 4:30 p.m.