Top seed Scott County drops Jackson into losers bracket

~ A six run-eighth helps Scott County to a 9-1 victory.

Chase Seyer should go on vacation more often.

Jackson wished he'd extended it another week.

Seyer pitched eight strong innings in his return to lead Scott County past Jackson 9-1 in their American Legion District 14 tournament game Tuesday at Capaha Field.

Seyer allowed two hits, walked six and struck out two.

Jackson catcher Dillon Jenkins showed the umpire the ball after tagging out Scott County baserunner Trenton Moses during Tuesday's District 14 tournament game at Capaha Field. (Kit Doyle)

"This is my first game throwing since I've been back," the left-handed Seyer said. "[My arm] feels good right now, but it will probably be sore in the morning."

Scott County needed Seyer's effort since Jackson was within two runs until the eighth, when Scott County pushed across six unearned runs.

"My changeup was doing pretty well today," Seyer said. "It kept them off balance."

Scott County coach Denver Stuckey considered allowing Seyer to pitch the ninth inning, but decided against it after his team plated the six runs in the eighth.

"I stood over there at third in the bottom of the eighth and just went back and forth," Stuckey said. "It took everything I had not to just let him go out there. I just really felt it was the right decision. He would have pitched 15 innings if you would have let him."

Dunklin second baseman Sam Bader, left, tried to complete a double play over Cape's Matt Hester on Tuesday, July 24, 2007, at Capaha Park. (Kit Doyle)

Jackson coach Mark Lewis was impressed with Seyer's effort, but said his team had its chances to rough up Scott County's starter. Jackson left seven runners on base against Seyer.

"I felt we hit the ball," Lewis said. "We had good at-bats for the first three or four innings and just didn't cash in. He settled down and pitched well. From the fifth inning on, he was really good."

Stuckey agreed that his squad was vulnerable early, despite having won 15 of its last 16 games entering the tournament.

"They could very easily have scored three or four runs in the first couple innings," Stuckey said. "I felt very fortunate to come out of here with a win tonight."

The game started as a pitchers' duel as both teams struggled to generate offense. Jackson starter Ethan Devenport went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two hits, walking six and striking out three. The powerful Scott County offense managed just two runs, one earned, against him.

Scott County third baseman Caleb Daughhetee forced out Jackson's Sam Lincoln on Tuesday, July 24, 2007, at Capaha Park. (Kit Doyle)

"I mixed it up and kept the fastballs low," Devenport said. "I wanted to get ahead and mix it up from there."

Scott County jumped ahead in the fourth when Tyler Beardslee fisted a pitch to right field for a two-out single to score Caleb Daughhetee.

Jackson answered in the sixth when Blake Reiminger scored on Nick D'Amico's sacrifice fly to right field. It was Scott County's turn in the bottom of the sixth when Devenport walked Blake Dirnberger with the bases loaded for the 2-1 lead.

Scott County looked poised to build a sizeable cushion in the seventh, but managed just one run when Jackson center fielder Jake Hime delivered a laser to the plate to gun down Trenton Moses trying to score from second on Cody Carlyle's single.

Scott County's offense finally clicked in the eighth when it took advantage of three errors and two walks to score six runs. Chris Asmus delivered a two-run single to help pad Scott County's lead.

"Something happens and you've got to build on it," Beardslee said of the six-run outburst. "It's the way it happens. It's baseball. Things happen. It's contagious."

Scott County advances to the winners bracket semifinal, where it plays Dunklin County at 8 p.m. today. Jackson, meanwhile, slips to the losers bracket, where it will play Thursday at 5 p.m. Jackson will face the winner of the Sikeston vs. Cape Girardeau game.

"To come out of the losers bracket, you got to hit the baseball," Lewis said. "You can say good pitching, but kind of everyone is in the same boat. It's going to be playing a little defense and banging the baseball."