JACKSON — Dunklin County Post 303 hurler Aaron McCaig had one bad inning Thursday. The other eight innings he dominated Jackson Post 158.

After a rocky fifth inning when he gave up three runs and surrendered the lead, the right-handed McCaig battled back to toss a complete game, as Dunklin County beat Jackson 12-3 to win the District 14 American Legion baseball tournament at Jackson City Park.

McCaig gave up just two hits in nine innings. He struck out 13 batters. He pitched around four Dunklin County errors.

"Early on he had really good control, and at the end of the game he had really good control," Jackson's Mike Mouser said of McCaig. "We were rushing a little bit and just stressing trying to get hits. He had a real good breaking pitch."

It was the third time McCaig had faced Jackson this season. McCaig, who tossed his first complete game of his career, said it was nice to pitch well against Jackson after struggling in a no-decision the last game he threw against Post 158.

"We had a lot of errors, and I just tried to keep my head up and make sure I didn't do anything stupid," McCaig said. "I knew [my defense] was going to be behind me no matter what, so I just kept throwing and kept my head up.

"I tried to start out ahead and not get behind. They are a good hitting ball club. So I just tried to keep them off-balance. The last time I pitched here I had a lot of control problems and my speed wasn't there at all."

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com Jackson Post 158 shortstop Chad Scroggins completed a double play over Dunklin County Post 303's Garrett Stockton during Thursday's championship game of the American Legion District 14 tournament at Jackson City Park.

The district tournament had a two-game elimination format, and Jackson entered with one loss. Dunklin entered without a loss. So Jackson had to win Thursday to earn the right to play in a championship game against Dunklin today. Jackson's one loss was to Dunklin on Wednesday.

Michael Mouser started on the mound for Jackson. He battled out of some jams to help Jackson stay with Dunklin County early on.

McCaig faced just 10 batters over the first three innings, retiring the side in order in both the first and third and getting a double play to end the second.

McCaig pitched himself out of a jam in the fourth inning after his defense made two errors with one out. He then got Ryan Cheney and Ethan Devenport to strike out to end the Jackson threat.

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com Dunklin shortstop Dillon Stockton held up on a throw to first after forcing out Jackson runner Ethan Devenport at second Thursday evening, July 24, 2008, at Jackson City Park.

McCaig did not allow a hit through the first four innings.

"I think it was his best performance [against Jackson this season]," Mouser said. "I think his control throughout the entire game was really good and he mixed up his pitches well. His breaking pitch was outstanding tonight, and he got us off balance. That was key."

Dunklin took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when No. 3 hitter Dustin Hunter smashed a home run off Mouser over the fence in left field.

McCaig struggled with his control in the fifth, allowing Jackson to tie the game and then take the lead 3-1. Kyle Reynolds walked to start the inning, Melvin Johnson reached on an error and Garrett Seabaugh had a bunt base hit, which McCaig barehanded but threw late to first, to load the bases.

Dunklin County Post 303's Dustin Hunter rounded the bases after his solo home run in the third inning Thursday against Jackson.

Jackson tied it 1-1 when Reynolds scored on a wild pitch. A walk, a hit batter and another wild pitch allowed Jackson to take a 3-1 lead.

"In the fifth inning it seemed like he lost his control just a little bit," Mouser said. "And we were able to wait back and get the pitch that we wanted to drive, and if not we'd just take our base on walks."

"I struggled a little bit that inning because of the errors, but I play on a team where you've just got to keep pitching and keep your head up and do what you've go to do," McCaig said. "I can't say enough about my offense. My offense is really good, and without them I couldn't win anyways."

But Dunklin scored eight times in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim the lead 9-3.

Mouser issued two walks and gave up a hit to load the bases with no outs. Mouser forced in a run with a walk to make it 3-2. McCaig then knocked home the tying run when he grounded into a fielder's choice.

Mouser was taken out of the game after he allowed a walk to reload the bases.

"My defense made a lot of plays behind me," Mouser said of his performance. "I think later on I just got a little tired and I got a little frustrated with some of the calls and everything. But early on it was working pretty good. And like I said, I had good defense behind me."

Drew Coleman entered and walked Branum as Hunter scored to make it 4-3. Three straight hits base hits allowed Dunklin to score five more times to make it 9-3.

Dunklin County added three more runs in the eighth inning to take the 12-3 lead.

Jackson 000 030 00 — 3 2 0

Dunkin County 001 080 020 — 12 8 4

WP ? Aaron McCaig. LP — Mike Mouser. HR — Dustin Hunter (DC). 3B — 2B Michael Mouser (J) — Ethan Devenport (J). Multiple hits — Dunklin County — Hunter 2-2. Heath Horvath 3-5.