Jackson Parish 12U boys All-Stars split their first two games this past weekend at the Dixie Boys District 8 tournament played in Buckeye, needing to win just one more game to qualify for the state tournament. The locals will play again at 5:30pm on Monday, July 1st against the loser of Grant Parish and host Buckeye. 

JP12U opened district play by beating Sabine Parish 12U by an 8-6 score. Jackson Parish then fell to Grant Parish by a 12-1 margin. A loss is never considered a good thing, but the way the wacky Dixie Boys bracket is drawn up, the locals are actually in better position to reach the state tournament than if they had won their second game.  

“After we won the first game, I guess you could say that we took a ‘strategic chance’ in the second game,” laughed JP12U head coach Juddy Rogers. “We saw how the bracket was drawn up and decided that we would take a chance with guys who don’t normally throw for us as it didn’t matter if we won or loss, we still only needed to win one more game to qualify for state, which is our ultimate goal.” 

The reason for the decision to save their top pitchers for the following game was that if JP12U had won game two they would have had to turn around that Saturday evening and play again. A loss there would have put them in exactly the same spot they are in now with the difference being that they would be short their top hurlers. As it is now, JP12U has their #1 and #2 pitchers available, needing only to win on Monday to qualify for the state tournament.

Jackson Parish 8 Sabine 6 (Friday): After spotting Sabine a 5-2 lead, JP12U stormed back to score two runs in the 3rd, 4th and 5th innings to take the first round victory. The locals opened the contest by scoring two runs in the top of the first inning when Grant Griffin and Cason Rogers drew walks and scored when Jaxon Cheatwood laced a double to left field.

Sabine rallied to take a 4-2 lead in the bottom half of the frame on the strength of a three run, inside the park, home run and then added another run in the bottom of the second.

Undaunted JP12U struck back to narrow the margin to 5-4 in the top of the third. Griffin and Rogers, once again got things started with two free passes virtue of a walk and a hit batter. A single by Corbin Powell loaded the bases before Cheatwood walked to force in a run. Carter Powell then hit a grounder to second that scored a run.

Jackson Parish regained the lead at 6-5 in the top of the fourth.  Conner Thompson hit a one out single to get the rally started and went to second base when Aiden Reed walked. A double steal put runners at second and third base setting up a ground out by Jensen Waggoner that tied the score. Caston Zimmerman then slashed a single through the left side of the infield to give JP12U the lead.

The locals stretched the lead to 8-5 in the top of the fifth when Corbin Powell and Cheatwood hit back-to-back, one out singles, advanced an extra base and scored on Waylon Sullivan’s single.

Sabine Parish made it interesting in the bottom of the fifth and final inning by drawing a walk and hitting a pair of singles with no one to score a run and put runners on first and third. Then JP12U made the play of the game by turning a timely double play when Corbin Powell snared a line shot at shortstop and fired to third base to get the runner out and complete the twin killing. Carter Powell who had come in relief then struck out the Sabine batter to secure the victory. 

Jackson Parish out hit Sabine 7-6 with Cheatwood and Carter Powell leading the way with two hits each. Sullivan, Thompson and Zimmersman also had base hits. Cheatwood led the team with 3 RBI followed by Sullivan knocking two runs in. Corbin Powell, Waggoner and Zimmerman also had an RBI each. Griffin and Rogers led in scoring with two runs each with Carter Powell, Cheatwood, Thompson and Reed also crossing home plate once. JP12U also stole four bases in the contest with Griffin getting two and Thompson and Reed also swiping a base. 

Grant Parish 12 Jackson Parish 1 (Saturday): A five run first inning by Grant Parish was followed by 2,2 and then 3 more and Jackson Parish managed just two hits and a lone run to fall in the shortened, four inning contest. Cason Rogers put the locals on the board in the top of the fourth when walked and then scored on Jaxon Cheatwood’s, two out double, his second two bagger of the tourney. Grant Griffin got the other hit for the locals. who made five errors in the contest.