Jackson rips Post 369

JACKSON -- Jake Hime's arm was feeling a little fatigued Tuesday night after throwing eight innings against Scott County Post 369.

But he didn't need to pitch the ninth inning thanks to his hot bat.

The Jackson Post 158 hurler stroked a grand slam over the left-field fence in the bottom of the eighth inning to enact the 10-run rule and help his team to a 19-6 first-round victory in the District 14 American Legion baseball tournament.

"I knew I had one more in me, but it felt really good that we could just shut the door right there," Hime said. "Anything can happen in an inning of baseball, so it just felt good."

Hime was solid on the mound against a Scott County lineup that batted .367 during the regular season.

The right-hander went eight innings, allowing six runs, four earned, on 10 hits while striking out seven.

Hime gave his team the momentum early when he was able to pitch Post 158 out of a first-inning jam.

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com Scott County third baseman Josh Debrock waited for the ball to tag out Jackson baserunner Garrett Seabaugh Tuesday evening, July 22, 2008, at Jackson City Park.

Scott County loaded the bases in the top of the first with no outs. But Hime was able to get back-to-back strikeouts of Cody Carlyle and Chris Asmus and then force Levi Felter to fly out to third.

"That was huge for the rest of the day really," Hime said about battling through the jam. "It kind of set the tone. It was a big confidence builder. Going into it I knew we were going to have a little adversity and I just had to battle through whatever happened. So I just kind of stuck in there and battled a little bit and got out of it.

"My fastball was just moving for me and my curveball was breaking as much as it needed to be. Everything was working how it needed to. I just kept them off balance all day with the offspeed stuff. And I was just battling all day really."

The momentum switched sides once Hime stranded the three Scott County runners. The Jackson offense came out on fire against Scott County hurler Felter, who earned a win on the mound against Jackson earlier this season. Jackson scored 10 runs in the bottom half of the first inning on seven hits. The first 11 batters reached before the first out was recorded, and 10 of those 11 scored.

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com Jackson's Blake Reiminger safely slid back into first, avoiding the pickoff tag from Scott County's Skylar Cobb during Tuesday's game.

"After he [Hime] loaded the bases, he slammed the door there and really helped us out," Jackson's Blake Reiminger said. "That was really huge momentum toward our way, and I think that's what really got us rolling in the bottom half of the first inning with all those runs. We were pumped. We knew we had to jump out early if we were going to win. We knew we'd have to get up and get after it. After Jake slammed the door in the top half of the inning, we were just pumped."

Felter was taken out after facing seven batters, with four singling and three walking. Asmus replaced Felter.

"We knew we needed to get better at-bats [against Felter]," Reiminger said. I think earlier in the season we were trying too hard basically. We knew we had to sit back and wait for our pitch, and we did. It was a lot easier because we knew what he brings to the table."

Jackson's first inning included an RBI single and an RBI double by Ryan Cheney. Melvin Johnson had a two-run single and Michael Mouser had two hits in the inning and an RBI.

Jackson pitcher Jake Hime made contact during Tuesday's District 14 tournament game.

Scott County (16-15, 4-3) pulled within 12-6, but Jackson (28-16, 4-3) scored seven runs in the eighth for the walkoff victory capped by Hime's grand slam.

"It felt sweet," Hime said. "I was struggling at the plate all day and I knew the new kid on the mound was going to probably try to get ahead of me with a strike. I saw a good pitch and I put a good swing on it."

Scott County allowed 10 walks, 16 hits and hit four batters.

Scott County played without three of its best players -- Trenton Moses, Kody Campbell and Shae Simmons.

All three play on a select team and did not have a dual participation sheet filed at the beginning of the year with Legion ball.

Scott County coach Denver Stuckey said his team did not fill out the paperwork because it felt it didn't have to since the three players weren't involved in another organized league, but instead a select team.

"The top of the first we have bases loaded and nobody out and we don't score," Stuckey said. "I really feel if we put a couple on the board there it might be a different game."

Jackson's win came after losing to Scott County in both regular-season district games.

"The regular season really doesn't matter," Hime said. "Records are 0-0 once district time comes around. We were just out to beat whoever we were against. We're not looking at the team, who they are and how many times they've beaten us. We were just looking to win a game."

Scott County 000 122 01 -- 6 10 1

Jackson (10)10 010 07 -- 19 16 3

WP -- Jake Hime. LP -- Levi Felter. HR -- Hime (J). 2B -- Chad Scroggins (J), Ryan Cheney (J), Ethan Devenport (J), Melvin Johnson (J), Garrett Seabaugh (J). Skylar Cobb (SC), Multiple hits -- Jackson: Scroggins 3-5, Michael Mouser 2-4, Blake Reiminger 2-3, Cheney 2-4, Johnson 2-4; Scott County: Aaron Tomaszewski 2-4, Chris Asmus 2-5, Records -- Scott County 16-15, 4-3, Jackson 28-16, 4-3.