KNIGHTS END JHS SEASON

Jackson High's baseball team could not have asked for a better start Thursday in the 4A District 1 final against Farmington at Tiger Field.

Of course, their ending couldn't have been much worse.

Back-to-back home runs in the first inning gave Jackson a three-run lead, but Farmington scored 14 runs in the final four innings for a 14-3 championship win.

Farmington, the third seed and winners of 13 of their last 16 games, improved to 14-8 and will host a 4A sectional contest next Thursday. Playing its third tourney game in a row, fourth-seed Jackson ended its season at 14-11.

Jackson jumped all over Farmington starter Chad Walden in the first inning for three runs on four hits. After a leadoff single by Justin Gladish, center-fielder Mike Gross ripped a home run over the left-field fence for a 2-0 Jackson lead.

Travis Stevens followed Gross to the plate and promptly lofted a high, flyball over the left-field fence for a 3-0 lead.

Josh Adams followed with a single but was stranded at second base as Walden, just a sophomore, began to settle down.

Farmington coach Steve Walden, Chad's father, credited his son with being competitive after surrendering the two home runs.

"He stuck right in there and threw the ball well for us," said Walden.

According to Walden, the Knights' pitcher may have been suffering from a case of the jitters.

"When Chad got up this morning he said he was kind of nervous," said the elder Walden. "I said `I'm kind of nervous too' and just told him to go out and see what happens."

The home runs hardly seemed to phase the young right-hander. He kept his composure and didn't allow another hit to the Indians for the complete-game victory.

"He doesn't show much emotion when he plays any sport," said Walden of his son. "He just kind of stays in one emotional state. I think that's a key to his success."

With a 3-0 lead, Jackson suffered through what Indians' coach Sam Sides described as a "slow kill." After getting just one hit in the first three innings, the Knights scored three runs in the fourth, three in the fifth, two in the sixth and five in the seventh.

Jackson starter Jason Goben (4-3) gave up nine of the runs in 5-2/3 innings, but only four were earned. Goben suffered through four Indian errors that damaged Jackson's chances.

"It was the same thing that's been our Achilles' heel all year," said Sides. "Our defense didn't make the plays."

Five of Farmington's first seven runs were unearned as the Knights took a 7-5 lead after five innings. Farmington added two more runs off Goben in the sixth and five more off two Jackson relievers in the seventh. Farmington totaled 10 hits.

After losing seven starters from last year's team, Sides was content with the Indians season.

"I was pretty happy with our number of wins, but our defense was weak all year long," Sides said. "We just made too many errors to beat good teams."