ST. JAMES – Following a familiar script this summer, Jackson opened the Division II Southwest Sub-State American Legion baseball tournament by beating host St. James 12-9 in eight innings Thursday night at Veterans Field.
Post 130, the third seed from Sub-district B, scored once in the third inning and seven in the fourth for an 8-0 lead. Sub-district C champion St. James scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth with Jackson scored one in the fifth to make it a 9-5 game.
St. James scored three in the fifth and one in the sixth to tie the game at 9-9. Neither team scored in the seventh with the Tarantulas scoring three runs in the top of the eighth.
“This is the way we like to win games. Get up by 6 to 9 runs, today was 8, late in the game and then slowly let the other team creep back in,” Jackson Coach Blaise Jacobsen joked. “Then that's where we hang on for dear life and get one last boost to win.
“Seriously, this was a hum dinger and couldn't be more proud of these kids. Logan (Buitzon) pitched his tail off shutting them down for four innings. (Andrew) Boyum came in a huge pressure spot and gave up a few hits. Then Trace Michelson came in and did a great job finishing the game.”
Bryson Powers had three hits including an eighth inning double that drove in two runs and scored twice. Brennan Runge also had three hits and scored two runs.
Butzon and Damien Phaly each had two hits and walked once. Trace Michelson and Cam Scholten had one hit apiece.
Butzon was the starting pitcher and went five-plus innings allowing seven runs of which only two were earned. Boyum got an out in the fifth inning before Michelson came on for the fial three and two-third innings, striking out eight.
Jackson will play Sub-District B No. 2 seed RTR at 8 p.m. Friday. Springfield and Luverne play the other winner’s bracket game at 5 p.m.