KNIGHTS CLOBBER JACKSON 16-0

JACKSON, Mo. -- In what Jackson coach Sam Sides called "by far, our worst game of the year," the Indians were shellacked by the Farmington Knights, 16-0, in five inning at Legion Field on Thursday afternoon.

Jackson (7-8), with four straight wins, had been playing its best ball of the season recently.

"This shows that on any given day, we can play as bad as anybody," said Sides. "We had been fairly consistent the last four or five ballgames."

It didn't take long for the pattern of the day to develop, as Farmington jumped out to a 3-0 first inning lead on three hits and some help from Jackson's porous defense -- two errors and a passed ball. The Indians committed six errors in the game.

Jackson's lefty starter Josh Parham, with limited varsity experience, deserved a better fate as all three runs in the frame were unearned.

"He (Parham) pitched a lot better than what the score will show," said Sides.

The Knights (12-6) picked up four more runs in the third, six in the fourth and three in the fifth. A three-run homer by designated hitter Ben Schnurbusch was the big blow in the third inning.

Meanwhile on the offensive side, the Indians could manage only three singles against Farmington starter Justin Holmes. Holmes went the distance with eight strikeouts and one walk.

Jackson center-fielder Garrett Williams had two of the Indian hits.

Michael Hall and Paul Grindstaff led the Knights' 10-hit attack with two hits apiece.

Farmington, co-champions of the Mineral Area Activities Association Conference with a 7-3 mark, ran its winning streak to five games.

"We know Jackson had a rough day," said Farmington coach Stan Walden, a recent inductee into the Missouri High School Hall of Fame. "But our kids played solid; we got a good pitching performance and we hit the ball pretty hard."

Jackson hopes to regroup against Notre Dame in the SEMO Conference Tournament today.