Jackson advances at Washington tourney

The Jackson Post 158 Senior American Legion baseball team has advanced to today's championship round of the rugged Washington (Mo.) wood-bat tournament.

Jackson went 3-1 over the past three days to win its five-team pool, including Saturday's 4-0 victory over St. Charles.

Post 158, which improved to 21-3, will play Jefferson City at 3 p.m. today in the semifinals.

Host Washington, the defending Senior Legion state champion, will face Manchester at noon in the other semifinal. The two semifinal winners square off at 6 p.m. for the title.

"We've played well so far here," Jackson coach Mark Lewis said. "It's a really good tournament. Their are some very good teams in this thing."

Avery Whiteside pitched a two-hit shutout Saturday, working all seven innings. He struck out four and walked two.

"He threw well, and he only threw 80 pitches," Lewis said.

Chase Simmons had two of Jackson's six hits.

Jackson suffered its first tournament loss Friday, falling 3-1 to Creve Coeur as the winners scored three unearned runs.

Collin Herzog took the loss, allowing all three runs over the first three innings.

Joe Elfrink finished up with three shutout innings.

Jackson outhit Creve Coeur 6-5. Laban Petzoldt had two hits.

Post 158 began the tournament Thursday with two decisive victories, 5-1 over Blue Springs and 13-1 in six innings over St. Peters.

Cody Heisserer pitched all seven innings against Blue Springs. He allowed six hits, struck out nine and walked three.

Simmons and Kelby Brown each had two of Jackson's eight hits.

Steven Eddy hurled all six innings against St. Peters. He gave up six hits, fanned one and walked three.

Jackson banged out 11 hits, led by Lane Thompson with three hits and three RBIs. Cody Harris had two hits and two RBIs. Simmons and Trent Wills added two hits apiece.

Golf

Jack Litzelfelner III, of Jackson, lost in the second round Friday morning at the Missouri Amateur Championship at Blue Hills Country Club in Kansas City, Mo.

Litzelfelner lost to Derek Reynolds of Springfield, Mo., 5 and 3. Litzelfelner, at 15 the youngest player in the field and the state's reigning Class 3 high school individual champion, was three holes down early in the match before a par on the par-3 eighth and a birdie on the par-4 ninth pulled him within one hole heading to the back nine.

But Reynolds parred the par-4 10th while Litzelfelner bogeyed, and the lead was back to 2-up. Litzelfelner had consecutive bogeys on Nos. 13, 14 and 15 while Reynolds had pars, his final one on the par-4 15th clinching the match.

Reynolds, 29, then won his afternoon match over Henry Simpson, of Mission Hills, Kan., 4 and 3 before falling to Brian Haskell of St. Joseph, Mo., 1-up on Saturday. Reynolds is the son of former LPGA player Cathy Reynolds, who was also caddying for him throughout the tournament.

Track and Field

Former Jackson High School standout Jill Rushin placed 14th in the shot put at Saturday's USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

Rushin, who recently finished her sophomore season at the University of Missouri, threw 51-feet, 5-inches on her first attempt before fouling on her final two attempts. She failed to reach the qualifying round.

Michelle Carter won the event with a put of 66-feet, 5-inches. Rushin's teammate at Missouri, Kearsten Peoples, placed sixth with a put of 56-3 3/4.