Pitching gets the focus Jackson Legion loss, but lack of offense has to share the blame

Jackson American Legion Post 158 pitcher Tyler Martin looks on after walking a Ste. Genevieve batter during the AAA Zone 4 Tournament in Ste. Genevieve Friday.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. – Tyler Martin spent a lot of time Friday night staring off into the nighttime sky and beating himself up.

The Jackson Legion Post 158 pitcher would saunter into the bullpen while his teammates hit and try to compose himself and get ready for the next inning.

Without question, Martin struggled in what would eventually be a 6-0 loss to host Ste. Genevieve at Yanks Field in the AAA Zone 4 Tournament, but Jackson manager Mark Lewis was quick to point out something that Martin wasn’t thinking of and those in the stands may have missed as well.

“We didn’t score any runs,” Lewis said. “You don’t win a lot of ball games without scoring runs.”

The loss moves Jackson (28-13) into the loser’s bracket and it will face the winner of the Festus vs. Ballwin game today at 7 p.m.

Jackson beat Ballwin 3-0 Thursday to open the tournament.

A victory Saturday would move Jackson into the championship game Sunday at noon.

Ste. Genevieve got to Martin early as it put a pair of runners on base in the second, which set up a three-run home run to give Ste. Genevieve all of the offense it would need.

Martin labored through the inning and eventually gave up a fourth run before getting out of the inning.

“The three-run homer was big for them, obviously,” Lewis said. “They were at the bottom of their order, but they did a good job of chipping in some runners and getting them on base. And they came threw with a big knock.”

Jackson American Legion Post 158 pitcher Tyler Martin makes a pitch against Ste. Genevieve during the AAA Zone 4 Tournament in Ste. Genevieve Friday.
Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

After some self-contemplation in between innings, Martin settled down and didn’t allow any more runs over the next three innings, though Lewis sporadically had reliever Mason Martini work in the bullpen just in case.

Jackson put a pair of runners on first and second base in the fifth inning, as well as the sixth, but couldn’t bring them home in either.

“I was probably disappointed more in the two (runs) we gave up later,” Lewis said.

Ste. Genevieve connected on a fly ball to shallow right field that the Jackson fielder misplayed and it scooted past him, which allowed the hosts to add a couple more runs for the final margin.

Martin had thrown well in that inning and did afterward, as well.

He finished by being charged with eight hits and all six earned runs, while only walking one.

“When you don’t score runs,” Lewis said, “you can’t point at one thing. That is a waste of time.”

Jackson loaded the bases in their final at-bat but again couldn’t generate any scoring.

Hunter Bilek, Tyler Harris, Boone Gartman, and Martini, who closed the game strongly on the mound, each had one hit in the loss.

“We need to get some rest and come back tomorrow and be ready to go,” Lewis said.

Lewis said the negative of Friday’s outcome was as irrelevant moving forward as the positive momentum that Jackson had after shutting out Ballwin on Thursday.

“The momentum starts the next day on the mound for both teams,” Lewis said. “(Jackson pitcher Tanner Hecht) threw such a great game Thursday, but that didn’t do anything for us tonight.”

Lewis wouldn’t commit to naming a starter for today’s game. He would only say that he has “two guys in mind” and he “wants to see Festus and Ballwin play.”

“I told the kids that no one died tonight,” Lewis said. “We’ve got another ball game and let’s put this in perspective.

“They beat us tonight, but let’s get back and get after it tomorrow.”