Jackson Junior Legion set for first regional tournament

Team chemistry is at an all-time high for the Jackson Junior Legion Post 158 baseball team.

That kind of team building is paying dividends for first-year coach Shelby Kight and Post 158 in all aspects of the game.

"It really feels like we're a true team that will pick each other up, no matter what," Kight said. "They've really turned into a close-knit group. They are good friends outside of the game, which I think does us some good on the field."

That chemistry will have to carry over as Missouri state champion Post 158 (34-7) gets set to take on South Dakota in the regional tournament at 3:30 p.m. today in Leavenworth, Kansas.

It has been a year of firsts for Kight, who led Post 158 to its first state championship at the Junior Legion level.

Post 158 beat Eureka 7-6 in the championship game on Saturday when Triston Thele's single scored Tyler Slinkard to give Post 158 a walk-off victory.

Two weeks ago, Post 158 was bounced from the Zone 4 tournament after just one win in three games.

Kight said the team got down a bit after that result, but his players never counted themselves out of a chance to win state because of one simple mentality.

"Our approach has never changed or wavered over the season, and it still won't," Kight said. "We're going to continue to take it one pitch at a time."

Kight had been looking to team leaders Garret Reynolds and Ben Maudie to get his team ready to play, but he doesn't have to do that anymore.

"A this point I've got a team full of leaders," Kight said. "They were all focused in the state tournament and ready to play. I think that's what has changed over the past couple of weeks."

The team has been led in part by a dominant Post 158 starting rotation.

Maudie, Slinkard, Zach Elfrink and Gavon Turner have held the team together all season, but they stood out in the state tournament after posting three straight complete-game wins.

Jackson’s Tyler Slinkard drives in a run against Eureka Post 177 during the state title game Saturday. Slinkard is one of Jackson Junior Legion’s key players. (Fred Lynch)

"Pitching is and continues to be our strongest point," Kight said. "We got three complete games in a row. You can't ask for anything more than that on the mound."

Kight said he hasn't named a starter for today's game but would be comfortable having any of them throw.

Defense has been the only concern for Kight all season.

Post 158 committed costly errors against Eureka in the Zone 4 tournament that led to their elimination.

In the state tournament Post 158 committed six errors. Only two of those errors led to runs scored.

Kight said the defense has been fixed, but he's going to make sure it stays that way.

"We still focus on defense in practice, that's probably our biggest concentration," Kight said. "We know at this time of the year pitching and defense are going to win us baseball games."

Kight said his offense also is ready to go after he observed them at practice Tuesday. Post 158 has scored 19 runs on 26 hits in over its past three games.

"I'd say they're ready to go. We've done all the things we need to do get ready for the regional tournament," Kight said about his offense. "There really isn't much they needed to improve on. At this point, it's all about fine-tuning swings and stances and getting guys loose and ready to play."

Kight said he's not worried to play a team he and his team are not familiar with.

"Every team is good at this point in the season; you just have to be ready to play and surprise teams," Kight said. "To other teams in the state, it may have been a surprise that we've come this far, but we've proved them wrong, and now we're going to go surprise other teams with how well we play as a unit."