Late Jackson rally falls short, succumbing to Francis Howell in state semifinal

For the first time in school history, Jackson played for a spot in the state championship on Friday against Francis Howell. A five-run fourth inning doomed the Indians, however, coming away with a 9-8 loss after their late-game heroics fell just short.

Jackson scored six runs on just one out in the top of the seventh inning, rallying from a seven-run deficit to place the winning run on first base but stranded two runners, ending the Indians’ run for the state title in the semifinals.

“I’m extremely proud of the way they fought back to score six runs in the last inning,” Indians coach Josh Roach said. “To lose by one against a very good Francis Howell team, I was really proud of that.

“We just didn't play the game that we usually play. Defensively, we were shaky. We gave them too many outs. When you give good teams out, they're going to take advantage of it.”

After a two-run first gave Jackson the early lead, Howell returned to form in the bottom of the second, scoring two runs courtesy of some defensive miscues from the Indians to knot the game up at 2-2.

The game entered a 40-minute weather delay between the second and third innings, forcing both teams to evacuate the field. Exiting the break, however, Francis Howell began to pick up momentum and pushed five runs across in the fourth inning.

The Vikings forced starting pitcher Caden Bogenpohl off the mound in favor of sophomore Carson McDaniel, and while the young arm held the side scoreless through the fourth and fifth, the final two runs of the game in the sixth eventually doomed the Indians.

“We gave them too much of a lead,” Roach said. “Even though we had a valiant effort coming back, one of the best I've ever seen, it just fell a little short. To cover seven runs in an inning, in the last inning, is tough to do for any team. We just didn't play our game early, and it came back to hurt us.”

Jackson's Baden Hackworth shouts while re-entering the dugout after scoring during a June 2, 2023 matchup between Jackson and Francis Howell at Sky Bacon Stadium in Ozark, Mo. Francis Howell defeated Jackson, 9-8, to advance to the Class 6 championship game.Cole Lee ~ Southeast Missourian

Senior Baden Hackworth and sophomore Cooper Rhodes both hit three times in the loss, contributing six of the Indians’ 10 total hits in a game in which Jackson outhit the Vikings 10-8. Bogenpohl, Quinton Borders, Steven Schneider, and Grant Dotson tallied one hit a-piece to push the Indian offense to eight runs.

In a game that came down to a clutch save from Francis Howell’s Evan Piwowarski, and despite the season ending in a bid for third place in MSHSAA Class 6, the seven-hit game for the Jackson seniors is just one of many high-production performances from a class that has set a precedent for the next generation of Jackson baseball athletes.

“They've built an incredible legacy that future Jackson athletes are going to try and live up to for probably as long as the program is around,” Roach laughed. “They've been phenomenal leaders. They've set a great example for the young guys – this is how we operate. This is how we do things. This is what we expect, and we challenged them early in the season to pursue excellence in everything that they do. They've done a really, really good job of that.”

Jackson's Jack Wyatt works to energize the dugout on offense during a June 2, 2023 matchup between Jackson and Francis Howell at Sky Bacon Stadium in Ozark, Mo. Francis Howell defeated Jackson, 9-8, to advance to the Class 6 championship game.Cole Lee ~ Southeast Missourian

The loaded senior class for the Indians made one last push for victory in the seventh inning. Grant Dotson and Henley Parker reached one hit-by-pitches before Rhodes doubled both in.

Bogenpohl and Hackworth hit singles over the infield, scoring Rhodes, while Steven Schneider’s walk preceded a hard-hit grounder to the shortstop from Landon Watkins, resulting in two more runs coming in.

With Jack Wyatt at the plate, Schneider made a run for third on a wild pitch and came home on a throwing error to third to score the Indians’ final run of the contest. The Indians stranded Watkins and Wyatt at second and first respectively with a chance to complete the frenzied comeback.

“The outcome obviously didn't turn out like we wanted,” Roach said. “We knew we felt like we had the team that could win the whole thing, and I still feel like that. We just didn't play our game.”

It was “the greatest rally there never was,” and it sent Jackson to the third-place game against Nixa – the two teams matching up for the third time of the 2023 campaign after Jackson’s doubleheader in Nixa ended in an Eagles sweep.

With a 32-7 record, Nixa’s record is nearly identical to Jackson’s own 33-7 record throughout the season campaign. And while Jackson has already shattered the program record for wins in a season, the Indians will look to make more history to collect the first state medal in school history in a battle for the bronze.

“We gotta get tuned back in because we need to come out and take our frustration that we have in this game out on [Nixa] tomorrow,” Roach said. “We gotta get that third-place spot, and we would be really proud to have it.”