Menu
Jackson softball ends district drought, defeating Lindbergh in title game
For the first time since 1999, Jackson softball has won a district championship. Going on the road and into the Flyers’ domain, Jackson’s high-powered offense gave way to a 10-4 win against Lindbergh to win its first district title in nearly 25 years.
The Indians scored five runs in the first inning, stealing up all the momentum early and holding on for a six-run victory against Lindbergh on Monday in the Class 5 District 1 championship game at Lindbergh High School in St. Louis.
“This team is resilient,” Jackson coach Shawn Wilding said. “This is the big monkey on our backs, winning the district title game. It's been 25-plus years since it's happened.”
Jackson benefitted greatly from a 10-run performance from its “small-ball” offense, but a lockdown defensive performance ensured that the Indians held onto their early lead.
Going into the title game, some lingering woes presented problems for the Indians. Jackson could score plenty of runs, but the back half of the ball needed improvement, and it showed in the district semifinal against Oakville.
Taking a 9-8 shootout on Saturday, Jackson’s defense committed four errors that allowed Oakville to hang around. Starting pitcher Ashlyn Dawes earned just three of the eight runs scored in the district semifinal.
Dawes made her way back to the circle on Monday for the district championship game. The difference on Monday? The defense made plays behind her.
“I was definitely a little nervous, and I started off a little rough,” Dawes said. “But I just knew I had to rely on my defense because they're pretty amazing. I knew that I couldn't just rely on myself, because it's a team effort.”
Dawes’ day began with three Flyers reaching base, including a run coming around to score on a sacrifice bunt to give Lindbergh an early lead.
Jackson’s first three batters all singled, however, and by the fifth batter the Indians had built a 3-1 lead.
With Zoe Flath standing on third after two runs scored on her fielder’s choice – in which she still reached base – Kimmora Carothers unloaded on an 0-1 count, hitting a two-run homer over the left field fence to up the Indians’ lead to 5-1.
“It felt great. It really did,” Carothers said. “That really just picked us up and started us again. Obviously, they got that run in, but then we were like, ‘Oh no, we’ve got this. We're gonna come in and come back.’ That home run definitely pumped us up more.”
The Flyers responded with a two-run home run of their own in the top of the second, hit by catcher Allison Waldron to cut the Jackson lead to 5-3.
The Indians’ first two batters of the second inning, Jaylie Walther and Kaiden Weisbrod, reached on a single and a walk respectively. Kameryn Tucker’s two-run bloop single into center field scored them both, increasing the Jackson lead to 7-3.
Jackson continued to put on the pressure in the bottom of the fourth. Miley Conklin singled in Weisbrod, followed by Rilee Monighan stealing home after Conklin forced a rundown between first and second. With Conklin standing on second, Flath got her around to up Jackson’s lead to 10-3 entering the fifth inning.
Waldron’s strong day continued with a one-out triple for the Flyers in the fifth inning. The batter behind her, Maryjane Abercrombie, forced the Indians into a sacrifice groundout as Lindbergh scored to make it 10-4, where the score remained for the final two innings.
As Dawes struck out the final batter with the bases loaded in the seventh, so ended a 24-year district drought for the Indians.
The team’s seniors went to home plate to accept the trophy, and the team all gathered around the district championship plaque, shouting in celebration.
The plaque is a testament to the work of perhaps the winningest team in program history, now sitting with a record of 33-4 that’s finally culminated in the program’s third-ever district title.
Setting up a date with the Francis Howell Vikings at home on Saturday, Oct. 21, Jackson’s quarterfinal bid represents another opportunity for the Indians.
A win against the Vikings could send the Indians to their first final four in program history.
Knowing how big the opportunity is for the program, Wilding accepts the challenge for the program and anticipates a tough battle for the upcoming weekend.
“It's like any video game you’ve played. Every level’s harder,” Wilding said. “You're gonna level up every time. It's always gonna be hard. You shouldn't expect easy games out of this, because you're now one of the eight remaining teams in Missouri.
“Everybody is downplaying a record of 30-something wins, and that's fine. Come and see us at our park. God willing, we beat Francis Howell and we go on to the state tournament.”