Jackson rallies to down rival Central in softball showdown

Jackson lost to archrival Central in softball Sept. 3, meaning the Indians had to wait nearly a month to get revenge.

"We were waiting for this all season," Jackson senior third baseman Tory Smith said.

The wait was worth it for the Indians, who rallied past Central 5-3 on Wednesday at Jackson City Park.

"Oh yeah," said senior pitcher Hannah Thompson when asked whether Jackson was looking to get back at Central. "We were fired up."

Smith and Thompson largely were responsible in leading the Indians (5-14) past the Tigers (3-14), who won the earlier meeting 3-1.

Jackson trailed 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning when Smith stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and one out.

Smith, Jackson's cleanup batter, ripped a pitch just inside the third-base bag and into the left-field corner. All three runners scored on the double.

"It was inside," Smith said of the delivery from Central senior Emily Myers. "I'm not real good with the outside [pitch], so lucky for me."

Smith advanced to third on the throw and plated an insurance tally on an RBI ground out by sophomore catcher Katie Garner.

Smith also drove in Jackson's first run, in the opening inning, with a double as she went 3 for 3 and finished with four RBIs.

"We've been leaving a lot of runners on base, so it was nice to come through," Jackson coach Amanda Forester said. "Tory had a good game."

So did Thompson, who allowed six hits while striking out eight and walking one.

"I just came out and threw my game," Thompson said. "I felt like my outside corner was working well."

Myers was just about as sharp as Thompson, but she was hurt by four errors.

Two of the miscues came in the decisive fifth inning as they followed a leadoff walk to load the bases with nobody out, setting the stage for Jackson's rally. All four runs in the frame were unearned.

Myers allowed six hits, struck out five and walked one.

"I thought Emily did a great job," Central coach Amy Blattel said. "She did a very good job mixing up her speed and keep them off balance."

Senior catcher Taylre Scott went 3 for 3 with a double to lead the Tigers.

"She's been driving the ball well," Blattel said.

Senior third baseman Tori Ourth went 2 for 2 with a double for the Tigers.

Two-out first-inning doubles by freshman right fielder Demesha Huddleston and Smith put Jackson on top.

Central tied it in the third on an RBI safety squeeze bunt by Myers and went ahead 2-1 in the fourth on Ourth's RBI double.

That's the way things stood until Jackson's big fifth inning. An RBI single by Ourth in the sixth pulled Central within 5-3, but the Tigers got no closer.

"We played well," said Forester, who started three freshmen and a sophomore.

While Central helped out Jackson with the four errors, the Indians did not commit an error.

"We played good," Smith said. "We were ready for it."

Central 001 101 0 -- 3 6 4

Jackson 100 040 x -- 5 6 0

WP -- Hannah Thompson. LP -- Emily Myers. 2B --Taylre Scott (C), Tori Ourth (C), Tory Smith (J) 2, Demesha Huddleston (J). Multiple hits -- Central, Scott 3-3, Ourth 2-2; Jackson, Smith 3-3. Records -- Central 3-14, Jackson 5-14.