Jackson Legion rallies from 9-0 deficit to defeat Farmington

Jackson's American Legion team's fast start this season looked like it had hit a bump in the road at home Monday night against the Farmington Patriots.

The Patriots hit everything in sight through four innings, building a 9-0 lead. Jackson did not pack it in though, scoring six runs in the fifth, four in the eighth and another run in the bottom of the ninth to pull off a 11-10 comeback win. Jackson improved to 6-1 with the win.

Jackson coach Mark Lewis said he thought his team just wasn't in the game at the start.

"We thought the game started at 8:30 is what I felt like," he said. "But that's a great club over there."

Farmington did nearly all of its damage off Remax Achiever starter Brandon Stearns. Stearns lasted three innings, leaving the game with no outs in the fourth and runners on second and third.

Austin Morrison relieved Stearns, and while he allowed two inherited runners to score, Morrison began to silence the Patriots' bats. Over the next four innings, Morrison allowed only two hits and one run.

"Austin Morrison, I can't say enough about him," Lewis said. "He settled them down and kept us in the game. That was key."

With Morrison keeping Farmington's offense in check, Jackson went to work on offense in the fifth. After collecting only three hits through four innings, Jackson started to get people on in the fifth.

Four walks, two hits and two hit batsmen led to six Jackson runs in the fifth. Jackson's next big inning came in the eighth, when the Achievers got a big two-RBI double from Brandon Gendron. Gendron scored the tying run after Trevor Thompson reached on an error.

In the ninth Jason Meystedt came on to relieve Morrison. Meystedt made quick work of the Patriots, striking out the side. Meystedt continued his heroics from the batters box. After Jackson's first two batters were retired, Meystedt picked up an infield single. Gendron followed with a tough at bat which ended in a walk, and Thompson provided the final blow with a game-winning single.

"It's a great shot in the arm for us to be down 9-0 and to come back," Lewis said. "We really battled."

Thompson finished 2-for-4, and Brandon Cooper added two RBIs.