Jackson nips Central with 7th-inning runs

JACKSON — Senior Matt Lang admitted he struggled at the plate in his team's first five games.

He was moved from leadoff to the No. 9 spot in Jackson's lineup as a result.

Lang did not look much better during his first at-bat Tuesday against Central, striking out on three pitches. But the senior found his groove during his next two trips.

With the Indians trailing 3-0 with one out in the fifth, Lang lined a base hit that sparked a two-run rally to bring his team within one run.

Then in the bottom of the seventh with one out and the bases empty, he stroked a single and stole a base to fuel a two-run rally, which propelled the Indians to a 4-3 home win over the Tigers.

Along with Lang's effort, Jackson starter Caleb Hosey pitched himself out of some early jams to twirl a complete-game victory. He surrendered three runs, two earned, on eight hits while striking out six to help the Indians (1-5) to their first win of the season.

Lang went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and scored two runs.

"I've been struggling a little bit," Lang said. "But I've been concentrating a little more, and it's finally starting to come around."

Jackson coach Rob French added: "He just needs to get his confidence back, so we wanted to move him down to the the nine hole to make him kind of a second leadoff hitter down there and make sure he sees some fastballs and sees some pitches that he likes. We think he's going to go down there and have some success."

The Indians looked overpowered through four innings against Central hurler Garrett Stevens, who mixed a changeup and fastball.

Stevens struck out three Indians in the first four innings and stranded three base runners. The right-hander appeared to be in good shape after the Tigers scored one run in the top of the fourth and two in the fifth for a 3-0 lead.

Lang, who also plays football and basketball, and most likely will attend Southeast Missouri State next year, but still does not know whether he'll play any sports there, said he was fooled by Stevens' changeup during his first at-bat. He knew he needed to adjust in his second at-bat.

"I just made sure to wait on the ball and make the ball get a little deeper," Lang said. "I was pulling my head out in the beginning, and I made sure to watch the ball hit the bat. Basically, it just comes down to fundamentals."

In the bottom of the fifth with a Jackson runner at second after reaching on an error, Lang stroked a fastball into right field for a single, placing runners at the corners. Lang stole second, and a run scored when the throw sailed into center field. Lang later scored when Central (2-4) made another error.

Stevens said the bottom of the lineup gave him the most problems, especially Lang.

"Truthfully, he was ready to hit," Stevens said of Lang. "He was just ready to do what he had to do. I just put a pitch in there and he put a good swing on it. ... It was the bottom of the lineup. They were just more prepared to hit off me. They were sitting dead every fastball. That's how they got me."

Lang walked to the plate in the last inning with his team down by one and with one out and the bases empty. He singled to right center, then stole second base. He scored on a sharp single to right by Michael Mouser to tie the score 3-3.

Mouser said Lang took it upon himself to spark the two rallies.

"Matt usually doesn't need to say anything," Mouser said. "His attitude and the way he presents himself just kind of carries the team."

After Stevens left the game with runners at the corners, Jackson's Andy Winkleblack knocked in the game-winning run on a fielder's choice off reliever Blake Smith.

"This weekend we had come off from playing a lot of good, stiff competition, and Garrett is the same way," Mouser said. "We were all really out in front on his fastball, and we weren't able to wait back, and we were getting a little anxious. I think throughout the game we learned to just wait back a little longer and to drive it wherever it was pitched."

Central0001200—383

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@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:WP — Caleb Hoyer. LP — Garrett Stevens. 2B — Alex Shell (C). Multiple hits — Central: Shell 3-4; Jackson: Matt Crader 2-4, Michael Mouser 2-4, Matt Lang 2-3. Records — Central 2-4, Jackson 1-5.