KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Jefferson City Jays defeated Staley and Neosho in baseball action Saturday.
The Jays now have 23 wins to tie a school single-season record.
In a battle of top-five teams in Class 5, Jefferson City defeated Staley 4-3. The Jays are ranked No. 5 by the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association, while Staley holds down the No. 1 spot.
Jacob Weirich went the distance to get the win for the Jays, tossing a seven-hitter. He walked two and struck out two, with two of Staley's runs being earned.
Jefferson City scored a run in the top of the third and added two in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. Staley then got one in the bottom of the fourth before the Jays got that run back in their half of the fifth to make it 4-1. Staley got the final two runs of the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Gaven Strobel drove in two runs to lead the Jays. Six different Jays had one hit each.
Jefferson City posted an 11-5 victory against Neosho.
Grant Wood banged out four hits for the Jays, who led 4-3 after one inning. Weirich, Kade Franks, Brandon Williams and Bryce Beckley all added two hits in a 14-hit Jefferson City attack.
Tyler Bise totaled three RBI for the Jays. Wood, Franks and Williams had two RBI each.
Williams worked the first five innings to get the win. He allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits and five walks while recording three strikeouts. Taylor Hartman pitched the final two frames, allowing a run on four hits and a walk. He struck out one.
Jefferson City (23-6) is off until the semifinals of the District 9 Tournament. The Jays will take on the winner of the Sedalia Smith-Cotton-Battle game on Monday, May 16. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Battle High School.
The district title game is slated for 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 17.