Kendle emerging as Jackson Senior Legion’s newest two-way threat

It’s not every day that a pitcher throws six innings of two-run ball in relief against one of the best teams in southeast Missouri, let alone the same pitcher hits a home run, a double and drives in four runs to will the team back to a 10-6 win in the same game.

Mark Lewis got this, however, out of recent Jackson graduate Kaden Kendle as Jackson Legion Post 158 AAA defeated the Southeast Tropics 18u side on Thursday night.

After taking just a handful of at-bats in his varsity career at Jackson High School, the State Fair Community College commit Kendle shook his “pitcher-only” title after crushing a 2-2 count over the left field fence to take a 7-5 lead in the top of the seventh.

“It felt great,” Kendle said. “In school ball, I might have got two at-bats just for the fun of it, so to be able to come out here and kind of do my thing on the mound, but then also contribute to the offensive side, it felt really good.”

Offensively, Kendle finished with two hits, four runs batted in and six total bases. On defense, he allowed just seven hits, four walks and two earned runs while striking out eight batters in six innings of work, doing enough to earn the win for Jackson.

While he didn’t get the chance to use his bat for the Indians, Kendle has turned his swing into a plus for Post 158 AAA and has become a routine feature in the lineup for Lewis’ squad. With the American Legion postseason looming, Lewis understands exactly how much the addition of Kendle has brought to the squad.

“He's been great on the mound,” Lewis said. “He's a great kid. He's played at second and he's gotten to hit a little more and he's done well with it. He's done a good job for us. It's been fun this summer.”

Jackson's Kaden Kendle hits the stanky leg at second base during a July 6, 2023 matchup between Jackson Legion Post 158 AAA and the Southeast Tropics 18u at Kelly High School in Benton, Mo. Jackson defeated the Tropics, 10-6.Cole Lee ~ Southeast Missourian

After defeating the Tropics, the team officially concluded its American Legion regular season, beginning district tournament play against the Sikeston Legion Post 114 Silver Sox on Monday, July 10 in Sikeston.

Serving as one of the key leaders on the squad, Kendle has seen Sikeston and understands what it will take for Jackson to advance through district play and into the zone tournament.

“We played Sikeston quite a few times,” Kendle said. “They're a solid team, and they always give us a run for our money. We're just gonna go out there and play our game and do whatever we can to get the win.”