Welcome to Sedalia: Jackson Legion Post 158 wins big, secures first-ever state bid

Jackson Tribe 18u entered the fourth night of Missouri Legion zone play on Thursday in desperate need of just a single win against Rock Memorial Post 283 to both advance to the state tournament in Sedalia, Missouri and to return to face Festus Post 253 in the zone championship series.

Thanks to a four-run third inning and a five-run fifth soon after, Jackson Legion Post 158 AAA secured its spot in the state tournament for the first time in program history as the Jackson Tribe 18u team won 17-5 against Rock Memorial Post 283 in the final game of the lower bracket and secured a top-two spot in the zone, good enough for a state berth.

“We came out with good energy,” Jackson coach Mark Lewis said. “Their guy on the mound was good. Through the first several innings, he was kind of shutting us down. We chipped some runs in there and they did as well, but I was excited about the way we kind of came out and took care of business, to say. It’s right in line with what we've been talking about all season.”

A 17-run onslaught from the Jackson offense coming a day removed from a one-run disappointment against Festus gave Tribe 18u everything it needed to blow by Rock Memorial and then some.

Rising Woodland senior Seth Abernathy commanded Jackson’s offense with three hits while batting in five runs to blow the game wide open. His third-inning double brought two runs home and gave Jackson the lead that it never relinquished.

Starting pitcher Drew Hahs, a recent Saxony Lutheran graduate, pitched the first 1.2 innings of the game. Hahs earned a run as two crossed the plate. From there, Lewis gave the ball to Woodland graduate Lane VanGennip, who threw 5.1 innings of four-hit, five-walk ball while earning three runs and striking out seven.

While not a perfect game for VanGennip, he held Rock Memorial Post 283 scoreless through the fourth and fifth innings while Jackson continued to build momentum. His performance in relief, as well as his performance at the plate with three hits and a walk, helped to push Jackson into its first appearance in the state tournament.

“Lane VanGennip really came in and gave us a shot in the arm on the mound,” Lewis said. “He really commanded the zone and shut their offense down, so to speak, early in the game.

“Then, when we got some runs and got up big, he just continued to pound the zone and did a good job. Not a lot of walks after that. I know it's hard to say that it was a great pitching performance in a 17-5 game, but realistically, it was a lot closer than that.”

Jackson coach Mark Lewis speaks to his team before a July 19, 2023 matchup between Jackson Tribe 18u and Festus Legion Post 253 at Yanks' Field in Ste. Genevieve, Mo. Jackson advanced to the state tournament after defeating Rock Memorial Post 283 on July 20, 2023.Cole Lee ~ clee@semoball.com

Jackson began the tournament with a 9-8 victory against one of the top favorites for the tournament, Eureka Post 177, to set up a Wednesday night matchup with Festus Post 253 with guaranteed placement in the top two and a state berth for the winner.

While Jackson vied for the win on Wednesday and even took a one-run lead in the second inning, Tribe 18u fell 11-1 on Wednesday to fall to the bottom side of the bracket, facing Rock Memorial Post 283 who eliminated Eureka Post 177 en route to facing Jackson.

Finally, after defeating Rock Memorial Post 283, the Tribe 18u team has placed itself in rarified air. For the first time in the tenured history of Jackson Legion Post 158’s AAA program, the team will advance to the state tournament in Sedalia, Missouri.

There’s little time to celebrate as the work continues for Tribe 18u. A rematch with Festus is looming as the title of the zone champion is still up for grabs. After the zone tournament ends, Jackson has just three days to prepare for its appearance in the state tournament as play begins on Monday.

“It's great, but it's hard to get too excited because you got to think about tomorrow and get wins you know, and worry about trying to beat Festus,” Jackson coach Mark Lewis said. “But, you know, you're still excited about the achievement too.

“I'm proud of these guys. They played hard, they battled hard. Hopefully, we come out and play well and we’ll see where that takes us. Then, we go into the state tournament with a little momentum.”