JACKSON RUNS DOWN DISTRICT SOFTBALL TITLE

JACKSON -- If Jackson's softball players drive the way they run the bases, they'd all be ticketed for speeding and failure to yield.

Add four additional counts of stealing to their road rage and they'd really be in trouble.

But this was softball, not driving etiquette.

Jackson, with aggressive base running and good pitching sped past Cape Central 6-3 Saturday to claim the Class 4A, District 1 tournament Saturday.

"If we can get runners on, we like to be aggressive," said Jackson coach Becky Riney whose team stole four bases, advanced three times on wild pitches and reached safely on two bunts. "We've got some speed. Our pinch runners and courtesy runners have been real effective for us off the bench because they're all pretty quick."

Jackson will play a sectional game Thursday at Hillsboro.

The Lady Indians (19-9) scored four runs in the third inning and avenged a loss to the Lady Tigers earlier in the week.

Jackson, the visiting team, and Central each scored one run in the first inning.

In the third, Emily Sander drew a one-out walk, followed by a bunt single by Megan Kuntze. Amanda Bollinger singled to right to bring home Sander and sent Kuntze to third.

Cherish Tillman then bunted Kuntze home on a close play at the plate. Kuntze slid hard into Central catcher Jessica McDonald, who could not hang onto the ball. Tillman ended up at second on the play.

A few pitches later, Central starter Casi Gross uncorked a wild pitch to score Bollinger, and when McDonald's throw back to Gross got away, Tillman scored.

"That's the way Jackson always plays," Central coach Amy Blattel said. "They executed very well."

Central, though, made a game of it in the sixth inning.

Using some speed of her own, Dionna Webb -- a state champion long jumper and also a sprinter on the track team -- reached on a bunt single. Crissi Matthews followed with a single and Amber Voerg, facing Jackson's new pitcher Beth Becker, drove them both home on a ringing line-drive double down the left-field line to make it 6-3.

Voerg -- who pushed Central over the top with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the seventh in the Lady Tigers' win over Jackson earlier in the week -- went 2-for-3 with all three of Central's RBIs. Her only out was a deep fly to straight center. Voerg also made some nice plays at shortstop.

"They all fought really hard and played hard right to the very end," said Blattel. "We executed well and we didn't let down. We fought through a lot of adversity this year and we peaked at the right time. I'm very proud of them."

Central had a runner at second base when the game ended.

Gretchen King earned the win, going five-plus innings and giving up all three earned runs on just five hits. She walked one, hit a batter and fanned none.

Becker pitched two innings, giving up one hit and a walk.

Gross suffered the loss, giving up six runs (five earned) on six hits and one walk. She struck out three.

* On Friday, Jackson beat Sikeston 4-0 on a no-hitter by Becker. Staci Illers went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Bollinger went 2-for-4.