Jackson, rain extinguish Dragons 6-3

Jackson pitcher Drew Coleman gave up three runs in six innings Tuesday against Ste. Genevieve. Most days that would go down as an average appearance, but not this day.

"It's the toughest game I've ever pitched in my life, no doubt," said Coleman after his team's 6-3 defeat of the Dragons.

Jackson earned a 3-0 lead in the second inning with three hits, including a two-run single by Tyler Koch. It was a lead Coleman preserved until the top of the fourth inning.

Umbrella-destroying winds that momentarily halted play off and on all game by sending big clouds of dirt soaring across the infield were joined by big drops of seemingly sideways falling rain as Coleman took the mound to start the fourth inning.

"The ball's up because you can't get a grip on the ball and then you're flying open because your feet are sliding," Coleman said. "It's a mess."

Perhaps not adjusting as quickly as he'd like to the conditions, Coleman gave up three hits and two walks in the fourth, and Ste. Genevieve tied the score at 3-3.

He eventually developed a plan.

"I stayed ahead with my fastball, spotted it down low, and when I got my breaking pitch over, it got batters really off balance," said Coleman, who said he threw many more fastballs than he would have under normal circumstances.

Coleman did not give up another run before the game finally was called after the top of the sixth inning when the big, lazy drops of rain turned into a downpour.

"That's a tough job," Jackson coach Rob French said. "Having been a pitcher myself, that is really a tough thing to do when you've got wind blowing from your backside pulling you forward and you've got rain coming down. ... It's hard to throw all of your pitches, but he went out there and he battled today."

French was less impressed with his offense, and declared himself "a little disappointed" in his team's play overall a day after the Indians defeated defending Class 2 state champion Scott City 9-8.

Jackson scored three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning with two hits and the help of two walks and a wild pitch from Ste. Genevieve pitcher Jeremy Vaeth. But French thought his team could have gotten more.

"You know, coming off a big win, I'm a little disappointed with the way we swung the bats," French said.

Jackson had eight hits through five innings, but Koch, who had two of those hits, agreed Jackson should have produced more offense.

"We didn't play as well as we did yesterday," Koch said. "We should have hit the ball better. We saw a better pitcher yesterday, didn't see as good of a pitcher today, so we should've hit the ball better."

French was just glad to start the season 2-0.

"We went out there [and] battled the elements a little bit," he said. "You get this kind of weather coming -- the wind blowing, the rain coming down -- you're not just battling their team, you're battling the elements a little bit. Both sides have to play through that. Bottom line, I felt like we were kind of lucky to come away with a win today."

Ste. Genevieve000300--390

Jackson03003x--681

WP -- Drew Coleman. LP -- Jeremy Vaeth. 2B -- Tyler Qualls (J). Multiple hits -- Jackson: Tyler Koch 2-3; Ste. Genevieve: Josh Meyer 2-4, Vaeth 2-3, Kyle Abt 2-3. Records -- Jackson 2-0.