Jackson makes Kennett eat its words, wins SEMO Conference Tournament title

Kennett was ready for Jackson.

“We owe them one, Kennett pitcher Ashton Williams said on Saturday after a 7-3 win over Cape Central in the semifinal round of the SEMO Conference Tournament at Cape Central High School. “They got us at their place but now we get them at Capaha. We’re coming for them and I hope they know we’re ready for them.”

That quote was blown up, printed, and laminated in the Jackson dugout for the final round of the SEMO Conference Tournament. Behind the brilliance on the mound from John Paul Sauer and a clutch hit by Steven Schneider, Jackson defeated Kennett 3-0 to claim the title in the battle of the Indians.

“We had a sign in the dugout saying exactly what they said,” Jackson catcher Baden Hackworth said. "All weekend we’ve been sitting and waiting for them to step up on the words that they said. For about five innings they did until about the bottom of the sixth. We opened it up and we closed the door for them.”

The game was a five-inning staring contest. Caden Bogenpohl walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Quintin Borders then bunted to move him to second base. Hackworth was intentionally walked after hitting doubles in each of his previous two at-bats. Both of those hits were followed by a courtesy runner getting picked off at second base, so this time he wanted to stay.

"I was very adamant about letting myself run,” Hackworth said.

Bogenpohl stole third base and Hackworth advanced to second base to take the possibility of an inning-ending double play off the table. Schneider then broke the scoreless tie with a two-run triple.

"I drove it the right-centerfield,” Schneider said, “and I was like, ‘yes, a sac fly!’ Then I saw he miss it, so I just kept running.”

Hackworth, who holds the school single-season RBI record, usually gets replaced by a courtesy runner when on the base paths. This was the rare occasion that he got to score a run.

“You look up you see all the fans, and everybody's pumped and cheering,” Hackworth said.

Sauer struck out nine batters during his complete game shutout. A single by Caleb Duncan is the only hit Kennett managed to muster against the Jackson junior.

“I just listened to Baden,” Sauer said. "Whatever he called, that was what I was gonna throw. I trusted him like I have all season. Confidence is key.”

Tanner Pierce took the loss for Kennett, allowing three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and three walks in six innings.

With the win, Jackson (22-6) surpassed its previous season's win total. The Indians have won at least 22 games in four of the last six seasons.

Jackson travels to Poplar Bluff on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. Kennett (16-8) hosts Paragould High School from Arkansas on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.