Jackson Post 158 freshmen earn state berth

Jackson Freshman American Legion Post 158 coach Josh Adams came into this week's District 14 tournament worried about his pitching holding up in a two-day, double-elimination tournament.

His team's play the past couple days should put those fears to rest.

Post 158 pitchers pitched a pair of six-inning no-hitters, the final one on Tuesday clinching a berth in next week's state tournament in Branson, Mo.

Post 158 defeated the Jackson 8th grade Legion team 13-0 at Capaha Field as Jeremiah McGuire shut down the 8th grade bats, walking two and striking out five without allowing a hit in Wednesday's district championship game.

That followed Devon Blankenship's no-hit gem on Monday against the same 8th grade team, a 12-1 win that put Post 158 one win from the title.

Jackson’s Drew Brown rounds third on his way to score the tying run off a double by Brayden Dobbs in the fourth inning of the Jackson American Legion Post 158 eighth grade team’s 8-4 win over the Cape Post 63 freshmen Tuesday at Capaha Field. (Adam Vogler)

"That was two pretty good pitching performances," Adams said after his squad improved to 23-6-1 and clinched its second straight trip to the freshmen state tournament. "(McGuire) had control of his fastball and his curveball, and he was throwing them for strikes instead of walking a lot of people.

"Good defense and good pitching go a long way towards winning."

McGuire received a lot of help from his offense. Already leading 4-0 heading into the top of the fourth inning, Austin Bucher rapped a two-run triple, then scored on Jake Edwards' single to make it 7-0.

Cape’s Nick Wiesner slides safely into home as the throw goes wild during Post 63 8-4 loss Tuesday that eliminated them from the District 14 tournament. (Adam Vogler)

Skylar Pease's two-run single in the top of the sixth made it 11-0, and two more runs scored later in the inning on an infield error, the 8th grade squad's fourth error of the game.

"I guess they just turned it on, and it showed," said 8th grade coach Levi Petzoldt, whose squad had defeated the Cape Post 63 freshman team 8-4 in the day's first game. "We didn't give them the game, they just outplayed us that game."

Bucher was 1 for 2 with a triple, three walks, two runs scored and two RBIs for Post 158. Edwards finished 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI, while Triston Thele was 2 for 3 with two walks and scored twice.

"It's contagious," said Bucher after the game. "When one person hits, we all hit."

And the reward is a berth in the state tournament at Branson, which begins July 19.

"It's a goal that we'd had all season long," a smiling Bucher said. "It feel good to have accomplished it."

The 8th grade team was playing its fourth game in two days under the blazing afternoon sun, which may have drained some fight from the young squad. But Petzoldt refused to use the stifling heat as an excuse. Instead, he praised his team for its successful season.

Cape Post 63 shortstop Joquen Cummins throws Jackson’s Landon Pehle out at second in the fourth inning of Tuesday’s first game at Capaha Field. (Adam Vogler)

"They came a long way with their hustle and their baseball performance," he said after the 8th graders finished 17-9-2.

The day's first game was an elimination game featuring the same two teams that squared off in Monday's tournament opener. Cape Post 63 and the Jackson 8th grade squad entered the sixth inning tied 4-4, Post 63 scoring its four runs with the benefit of just one hit while taking advantage of six walks and five errors. But the Jackson 8th graders answered with some timely hitting to remain even with Post 63 before breaking the game open in the top of the sixth.

Two hits, two walks and three Post 63 errors made for a three-run inning that put the 8th graders up 7-4.

Post 63 loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the frame but failed to score. And when the 8th graders scored one more in the top of the seventh, the game was all but over.

Braydenb Dobbs led the 8th graders at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a run scored. Drew Brown was 2 for 3 with two runs scored, Ryan Malone was 2 for 4 with a double, and Tyler Knight doubled and scored a run.

For Post 63, Braydon Benefield walked three times and scored a run, and Sean Plott and Nick Wiesner eached walked twice and scored. Post 63 committed six errors in the game.

"I think errors played a part in this game," said Post 63 coach Jeremy Smith. "But we didn't capitalize on opportunities with runners on base. They've done it all season long, but for some reason it didn't work out for us today."

It was a quick end to a season that saw Post 63 finish 11-12.

"I felt like we've grown as a team all season long, and we've gotten better," Smith said. "What I've asked them to do is to want to get better. And we were playing good baseball coming into the tournament.

"But today wasn't our day. We didn't capitalize when we needed to. That's baseball."