Regional title slips away in Jackson's first try

~ Minnesota scored three two-out runs in the seventh inning to claim an 8-7 victory

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Jackson and Minnesota have exchanged dramatic one-run victories the past two days at the Senior Babe Ruth Midwest Plains Regional.

So perhaps it's only fitting that the squads will square off one more time.

On the line at 1 p.m. today will be the Midwest Plains Regional title and a berth in the Senior Babe Ruth World Series set for Aug. 15 through 22 in Moses Lake, Wash.

"They're a scrappy, very competitive team, just like we are," Jackson coach Paul Sander said.

Jackson second baseman Spencer Sander throws to first to retire Minnesota batter Trevor Oestenstad during the first inning.

Jackson entered Tuesday's championship round as the only undefeated squad in the eight-team, double-elimination event.

That status came courtesy of Monday's 8-7 victory over Minnesota in the winners bracket final as Jackson scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Minnesota, represented by the Minnetonka Mudhens, returned the favor Tuesday with an even more dramatic 8-7 triumph capped by a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh.

"It was just the opposite of what happened last time," Jackson's Ryan Bass said.

Minnesota had to stave off elimination twice Tuesday.

First the Mudhens (36-6) slipped past defending regional champion and host squad Charleston 2-1 in 11 innings in the losers bracket final.

Less than an hour later, the Mudhens again took the Hillhouse Park field in the sweltering heat and waged a back-and-forth duel with Jackson (33-6).

The Mudhens appeared to take control with a four-run sixth inning that put them up 5-1.

Jackson exploded for six runs in the top of the seventh to lead 7-5 and close in on the program's first regional title in its first regional appearance.

"We were spent," Minnesota assistant coach Bruce Twaddle said. Jackson's seventh inning "took the wind out of our sails."

Only momentarily, however.

Facing Jackson pitcher Garrett Fritsche in his first inning of work, Nate Adams led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and Joe Knudsvig walked.

Fritsche retired the next two batters, with the runners moving up a base on a ground ball for the second out. Jackson was one out away from the championship.

"I thought we were going to pull another one out," said Sander, whose squad had rallied in its previous two regional games.

But Trent Seamans foiled those plans with a line-drive single to left field that plated both runs and tied the game.

Seamans moved up to second on the throw to the plate and advanced to third when a throw to second got away.

Bryce Tuma then delivered a clean single to right that ended the contest.

"They earned their seventh inning," Sander said. "Even though it's a bitter pill, you have to tip your hat to them."

Jackson, held to five hits through the first six innings, exploded for six hits in the seventh before a batter was retired.

Fritsche and Bryant Steffens had RBI singles to pull Jackson within 5-3, then Alex Beussink ripped a three-run double into the left-field corner that put Jackson ahead 6-5. Josh DeBrock followed with an RBI double to make it 7-5.

"We just started hitting the ball," Bass said.

But Minnesota's answer in the bottom of the seventh wiped out Jackson's rally.

Jackson ace Chris Roth, working on two days rest, carried a one-hit shutout and a 1-0 lead into the fifth inning.

Roth allowed three hits and the tying run in the fifth, then was taken out after giving up two hits and three runs -- two earned -- in the sixth.

Beussink relieved Roth and allowed an unearned run in the sixth as Jackson fell behind 5-1.

"Chris didn't have very much," Sander said. "He just got by on guts."

Fritsche and DeBrock both had three of Jackson's 11 hits. DeBrock doubled twice. Roth added two hits.

Tuma had three of Minnesota's 12 hits. Seamans and Adams added two hits apiece.

"You have to be able to close a game like that if you want to go on," Sander said. "And if you don't close it, you have to be able to bounce back with your heads up."

Today's winner-take-all affair will feature two clubs with not much pitching left.

"It'll be by committee," said Twaddle, who saw Stuart Martin hurl all 11 innings in the win over Charleston. "We just wanted to get to [today]."

Said Sander of his pitching situation: "Not very good. But probably no worse than theirs."