Jackson Legion sweeps Cape

Steven Eddy, by most accounts, did not have very good stuff Tuesday night.

That didn't prevent the Jackson Post 158 Senior American Legion pitcher from having a very good performance.

The 2013 Jackson High School graduate continued his impressive year on the mound as visiting Jackson routed Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons Post 63 10-2 in the District 14 opener of a doubleheader.

Jackson also romped in the non-district nightcap, finishing off the sweep 12-0 in a game stopped after five innings by the 10-run mercy rule.

"I'm pretty excited," Chase Simmons said of Jackson's strong start to the summer season. "We're coming out and getting lots of wins."

Jackson Post 158 starter Steven Eddy pitches to a Cape Post 63 batter during the second inning Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at Capaha Field. (Fred Lynch)

Post 158 has picked up right where it left off last summer, a campaign that saw it go 37-17 and win its first District 14 tournament title since 2005.

Jackson is 9-1, including 2-0 in District 14 play.

"We've been playing pretty well so far," Eddy said.

Eddy led a successful Jackson High School season this spring as he was the Indians' ace pitcher and earned SEMO Conference co-player of the year honors.

Eddy hasn't missed a beat so far this summer. He went all seven innings of Tuesday's opener, scattering eight hits and allowing one earned run.

Jackson Post 158 left fielder Trent Wills catches a fly ball during the third inning of Tuesday’s opener of a doubleheader.

"I thought Steven threw good," Jackson coach Mark Lewis said. "He didn't have his best stuff but he was making pitches when he needed to."

Eddy struck out three and walked two.

"He didn't have his stuff but his offspeed was great and he kept the runs low," said Simmons, a 2013 Notre Dame Regional High School graduate who caught Eddy in the opener.

Eddy concurred with the assessment of both Lewis and Simmons.

"I didn't really have my fastball or change working, but my curve was looking real good," Eddy said. "I definitely threw a lot more pitches than I should have, a lot more balls."

Cape first-year coach Justin Lieser, whose squad fell to 5-5 overall and 1-1 in district play, knew Post 63 would face a rugged challenge against Jackson in general, and Eddy in particular.

"They're a good team," Lieser said. "He [Eddy] is always around the plate. His ability to throw breaking pitches for strikes makes him tough."

While Eddy was around the plate, Cape's three pitchers struggled in that area as they combined to issue nine walks and hit a batter.

Add in Jackson's 15 hits along with three Cape errors and it made for a lopsided contest.

"All of our pitchers really had trouble getting ahead," Lieser said. "When you do that against a good hitting team like Jackson, it makes things tough."

Simmons had three hits, as did 2013 Jackson graduates Trent Wills and Cody Harris. Wills drove in two runs.

Kelby Brown, who recently completed his junior year at Oak Ridge High School, and 2013 Jackson graduate Ryan O'Rear added two hits apiece.

"Everybody hit the ball well," Simmons said.

Devin Austin and Ryan Ochoa each had two hits for Cape. Calvin Lovig drove in two runs. J.C. Chapman was the losing pitcher.

Two of Cape's three errors led to Jackson getting on the board first with three unearned runs in the second inning.

Cape had a golden opportunity to get right back in the game in the bottom of the second but literally ran itself out of the inning.

A leadoff single was followed by a drive to deep left field that should have been a double.

But Cape's runner on first base mistakenly thought that Jackson's left fielder had made the catch -- the ball went well over his head -- and was forced out at second base.

A single followed but a runner was gunned down at third base.

"A couple of baserunning blunders took us out of that inning," Lieser said.

Jackson rolled the rest of the way and finished the victory in style when Harris made his third defensive gem of the contest at third base, diving to his left to snare a smash and throwing to first base for the game's final out.

Jackson, despite committing three errors, had several other strong fielding efforts and turned two double plays.

"It was a good game for us," Simmons said.

So was the non-district nightcap that saw 2013 Leopold graduate Joe Elfrink fire a two-hit shutout in the rout shortened to five innings because of the mercy rule. He struck out five and walked two.

Jackson outhit Cape 11-2. Simmons had two more hits, as did 2013 Jackson graduate Steven Porzelt and Hadden Clark.

Trevor Propst took the loss on the mound for Post 63.

Despite the lopsided defeats to an experienced team featuring primarily returning players, Lieser remains encouraged about his inexperienced squad made up mostly of newcomers.

"Not a lot of these guys have played with each other," Lieser said. "It's taking a while to jell but we've got good character guys."

Jackson is right back in action today, hosting Perryville in a 6 p.m. doubleheader at Legion Field.

Cape faces St. Peters at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Notre Dame in the opening round of the 16-team Charleston Fighting Squirrels Baseball Classic.