Jackson overpowers Cape

Jackson's Ryan Cheney seems to know the right hitting approach to take against hurler Garrett Stevens.

Cheney gave the Jackson Post 158 American Legion baseball team a comfortable lead early Tuesday night against rival Ford and Sons Cape Girardeau Post 63, smashing a three-run home run off Stevens in the first inning. Cheney knew it was gone immediately, getting into his home-run trot while he watched it clear the fence in left field.

It was the second time in the past month Cheney homered off Stevens. He had two hits, including a homer, off the right-hander in high school district play May 12.

"I don't know what it is," Cheney said. "I've had pretty good success against him. But then he came back [Tuesday] the next couple at-bats and got me two times. So it's just gone like that all throughout our high school careers and in Legion. Sometimes I'll get him, and sometimes he'll get me."

Cheney's blast capped a four-run first inning for the visitors, who went on to beat Cape Girardeau 7-2 in their District 14 game at Capaha Field.

Cheney and Michael Mouser provided most of the offense for Jackson. Cheney went 1-for-4 with three RBIs, and Mouser was 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs.

Cheney said he wasn't completely satisfied with his high school baseball season. Before the playoffs began, he readjusted his swing and worked on his mechanics.

AARON EISENHAUER ~ aeisenhauer@semissourian.com Cape's Ryan Grigaitis was out at second as he slid under a throw to first from Jackson's Ethan Devenport during the second inning Tuesday at Capaha Field.

He had a couple of two-hit games in the the high school postseason, including his 2-for-3 performance against Stevens. And Cheney has continued to hit the ball well and hard in Legion ball after posting a .270 average during the high school season. Cheney said he was batting .411 with two homers entering Tuesday.

"I'm just going to keep coming out here and battling all summer long and see where it takes me," Cheney said. "Coach [Mark] Lewis has been working with me on hitting to help my swing even more than from what I had done in the spring season to have more power."

Jackson starting pitcher Travis Hurst earned the victory, going six-plus innings. He got into some jams, but was helped by strong defense behind him.

"I just got some clutch ground ball when I needed them today," Hurst said. "I really didn't have my A game today. It just came whenever I needed it. And my defense was strong."

AARON EISENHAUER ~ aeisenhauer@semissourian.com Jackson's Chad Scroggins makes a diving catch for an out against Cape in the third inning on Tuesday, June 10, 2008.

Jackson's first-inning rally began when Chad Scroggins started the game by grounding to third. Cape Girardeau infielder Ryan Grigaitis fielded it, but threw wild past first, allowing Scroggins to reach and advance to second. Alex Tripp then reached on an infield single. With two runners on, Mouser smashed a single to right-center field. It scored Scroggins, giving Jackson a 1-0 lead.

Ryan Cheney then stepped to the plate and smashed a three-run home run over the fence in left to give Jackson a 4-0 advantage.

"I knew as soon as I hit it that it was gone," Cheney said. "It just felt really good off the bat. When I first looked at it, I could tell it was going."

Lewis said Cheney gets jumpy sometimes as a hitter, but he is hitting well because he is taking a good amount of batting practice and getting down his timing.

"That set the pace for us early on," Lewis said of Cheney's blast. "You love to see that when you're on offense first, to get up on somebody. Garrett Stevens is a good pitcher and getting up on him early is big for us or for anybody when they face a good pitcher."

In the second game, Tyler Glidewell doubled home the winning run in the bottom of the seventh as Cape Girardeau won 14-13.

District 14 game

Jackson 401 110 0 -- 7 9 1

Cape Girardeau 000 002 0 -- 2 6 3

WP -- Travis Hurst LP -- Garrett Stevens. HR -- Ryan Cheney (J). 2B -- Zach Plott (C), Josh Compas (C); Michael Mouser (J). Multiple hits -- Jackson: Alex Tripp 2-4, Mouser 2-3; Cape Girardeau: Steven Houseman 2-2. Records -- Jackson 1-5, Cape Girardeau 1-5.