Jackson Junior Legion wins District 14 tournament

If the Jackson Junior American Legion Post 158 baseball team came into this weekend's District 14 tournament looking to prove something, it certainly did.

Jackson defeated the Sikeston Post 114 Junior Legion team 7-2 in Saturday's championship game at Central field, combining quality pitching, timely hitting and virtually flawless defense to earn a berth in this week's Zone 4 tournament in Festus, Mo.

Tyler Slinkard pitched a four-hitter, allowing just two runs while walking one and striking out four, and Hayden Clark belted a two-run home run as Jackson improved to 33-4 on the season.

Jackson's near-flawless performance came as no surprise to coach Gerald Adams.

"I've seen them play this good a lot of times this year," he said, noting his charges have played Legion ball together since the eighth grade. "They know one another. They're a confident group, but not a cocky group."

Jackson Post 158 Junior American Legion's Jon Schumer reaches third base safely as Sikeston Post 114 third baseman Gage Silman loses the ball while tagging him in the fourth inning of the championship game of the District 14 tournament Saturday, July 13, 2013 at Central High School. (Fred Lynch)

Jackson spotted Sikeston a run in the top of the second inning before going to work in the bottom of the frame. Post 158 tied the score on a run-scoring groundout by Jon Schumer. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, Ryan Harvey belted a three-run double to give Jackson the lead.

"We don't rattle easy," Adams said. "We've been down before, but they never quit."

Jonathan Litchfield plated Schumer on a sacrifice fly to center in the bottom of the fourth, and Clark blasted his two-run homer over the left-field fence in the bottom of the fifth to make it 7-1.

That was plenty for Slinkard, who was able to work out of a couple jams thanks to the defensive prowess of his teammates. And that was never more apparent than what transpired in the top of the sixth.

Sikeston's Logan Hampton led off with a single and Drew Pikey walked. They both moved up a base on a wild pitch before Slinkard struck out Sam Cox. Colton Hampton then rapped a single to right, scoring Logan Hampton, but Litchfield fired a strike to the plate to nail Pikey trying to score for the second out. Blake Wolferding then bounced a high chopper to third, but the throw to first was wide. Colton Hampton rounded third and tried to score, but Schumer, Jackson's first baseman, recovered from the errant throw and fired a bullet to Jackson catcher Wyatt Eldridge. Eldridge took the throw and braced for a collision as Colton Hampton barrelled into the Jackson catcher in an effort to knock the ball loose. Eldridge, though knocked backward, held onto the ball for the third out and preserved Jackson's 7-2 lead.

Jackson Post 158 Junior American Legion catcher Wyatt Eldridge waits to tag Sikeston Post 114's Colton Hampton at the plate in the sixth inning of the championship game of the District 14 tournament Saturday, July 13, 2013 at Central High School. (Fred Lynch)

Hampton was ejected from the game for what the plate umpire determined was "malicious contact" and, though coaches from both teams jawed at each other along the third-base line, order quickly was restored and the game resumed.

"I expected [Hampton] to slide," said Eldridge, who sported the beginnings of a shiner under his left eye from the play. "I was kind of taken aback. But I jumped right up. I got a little bruised up, but it's all just part of the game. I'm just glad everything's OK and we got the out and won the game."

Both coaches admitted getting caught up in the heat of the battle, but they had nothing but praise for both teams after the game.

"That's the sixth time we've seen them this summer," said Sikeston coach Jacob May, whose squad finished the season 22-10. "We beat them in the first district game, but they've had our number ever since. They're as tough as they come.

"We jumped on them early 1-0 and that gave us come confidence, but they came right back on us. Once they got the lead, they never looked back."

Jackson Post 158 catcher Wyatt Eldridge walks to the dugout after the collision at the plate with Sikeston Post 114’s Colton Hampton during the sixth inning.

Slinkard couldn't say enough about his team's defensive play behind him.

"It was phenomenal," he said. "[Sikeston] has good power hitters, but they made every play."

He was especially appreciative of Jackson throwing out two potential runs at home in the sixth.

"That was a big one right there," he admitted.

Eldridge noted how Post 158's defense has been a key to its success all season.

"Defense is more of the game than offense," he said. "If you don't have a good defense, you won't win many games. We just don't make many errors."

Pulling the plug on a potential rally -- like Jackson did in the sixth inning -- is something Post 158 prides itself on.

"If you don't walk a lot of people and play good defense, it's hard to give up a big inning," Adams said. "I don't mind giving up one run. We can get that back. You just don't want to give up a big inning."

Noteworthy

* Jackson earned a spot in Saturday's championship game by defeating Cape Post 63 10-3 on Friday. Sikeston defeated Post 63 18-4 on Friday to earn a championship berth opposite Jackson.

* Jackson finished 3-0 in the double-elimination tournament. Sikeston was 2-2, Cape 1-2 and Scott County Post 369 was 0-2.

* Jackson will be off until Thursday when Zone 4 Tournament play opens in Festus, Mo. Pairings and seedings have yet to be determined.