Jackson not concerned about lack of regional credentials

~ The local team will be the only entry in the Senior Babe Ruth tourney that is not a state champion

Jackson is the only squad in the Senior Babe Ruth Midwest Plains Regional that did not win a state title.

But Jackson is confident of being able to prove it belongs in the eight-team tournament that begins today at Hillhouse Park in Charleston.

Jackson plays the Colorado state champion at 1:30 p.m. in the second of four opening-round games.

The championship game of the double-elimination event is set for 2 p.m. Tuesday, with an if-necessary title contest slated for 1 p.m. Wednesday. The winner earns a berth in the Senior Babe Ruth World Series on Aug. 15 through 22 in Moses Lake, Wash.

"We're really excited," said Jackson ace pitcher Chris Roth, who will start today's regional opener. "We're pretty confident. We know there will be some good competition, but if we play as well as we can, we think we can compete with anybody."

In addition to the Colorado state champion that Jackson plays today, other state champs in the field hail from Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and North Dakota.

Charleston won the Missouri state title for the third year in a row, but the Fighting Squirrels are entered as the host squad.

Charleston's automatic bid paid dividends for Jackson because it qualified as the Missouri representative by finishing second in the state tournament. But Jackson is making no apologies as it carries a 30-5 record into the regional.

Four of those losses were to defending regional champion Charleston, including two competitive games in last week's state tournament that Jackson hosted.

"Our goal was to win state. We didn't do it, but we did what it took to get to the regional," Roth said.

The fact Jackson played Charleston tough twice in the state tournament gives the players confidence.

"We hung in with Charleston, and they won the regional last year, so I think we'll be fine," shortstop Garrett Fritsche said. "We should have the talent to compete with all the teams."

Jackson coach Paul Sander feels the same way.

"We feel confident we can compete any time we take the field," Sander said. "We're not the type of team that will be intimidated."

Jackson is in a Senior Babe Ruth regional for the first time ever, a source of pride for the squad that features players from seven area high schools.

"It's a big thrill for me and the players," Sander said. "It's a nice reward for the type of season we've had and it's a last hurrah for some of these guys who won't be eligible to come back next year."

Saxony Lutheran provides by far the most players with 10 as the majority were key performers on one of the area's better small-school programs that also was coached by Sander.

Roth and Fritsche, along with Clay Roth, Spencer Sander, Ryan Sprandel, Bret Steffens, Bryant Steffens, Trent Steffens, Matt Stueve and Jon Winkler, are Saxony products.

Ryan Bass and Alex Beussink are from Notre Dame, with Bass the starting third baseman for the Bulldogs' 2009 Class 3 state championship team.

Austin Mueller and Jacob Wiley attend Jackson, with B.I. Howard (Central), Chad Kiefer (Meadow Heights), Andrew Minson (Woodland) and Josh DeBrock (Kelly) rounding out the roster.

Bret Steffens and Trent Steffens will miss the regional because of a previously scheduled family vacation.

Jackson picked up DeBrock, who played with Scott County's summer team, for the regional.

"We're pumped up," Bryant Steffens said. "It should be a lot of fun."