It wasn't the hardest hit ball, but it did the job.
Jacob Weirich's slow grounder squeaked past the second baseman, who was playing close to the bag with a runner on, for a walk-off single to give the Jefferson City Jays a 2-1 win Friday against Camdenton at Vivion Field.
After Hayden Hirschvogel slid into home plate safely for the winning run, Camdenton's catcher shoved him, causing words to be exchanged as both teams met near the plate. The teams were quickly separated and the Jays continued their celebration.
"Of course we're excited, we're going to celebrate," Jays coach Brian Ash said. "I think the kid was just frustrated or whatever. They're competing. In a game like that where they've got an opportunity to beat us, I think emotions were running high."
The Lakers, who entered the game with a 6-10 record, were trying to get a win against the only district foe they'll face all season.
They sent Parker Stidham to the mound, getting nine strikeouts from the senior. The Jays only got three hits off him before a two-hit seventh.
"It was not looking good there for a while," Ash said.
Hirschvogel smacked a single to right field with one out in the seventh. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and Weirich's game-winning single came with two outs.
Jefferson City (20-2), winners of 10 straight, got two hits in the first four innings - singles from Kade Franks and Payton Bodenstab. Franks was left stranded at third in the second and Bodenstab didn't leave first base in the third.
"I think we were guessing too much instead of just reacting to the pitch," Ash said. "But that kid was good."
Bodenstab's second hit gave the Jays a 1-0 lead in the fifth. He doubled off the left-field fence, scoring Tyler Bise from second. Bise walked and stole second.
Camdenton answered in the sixth as Brogun Betta singled on a ground ball to left field to score Brandon Pasley from second base.
The Jays were fortunate the Lakers didn't score more. Catcher Gaven Strobel picked off a runner at first to negate a leadoff single. A single, hit by pitch and Betta's RBI single followed.
With runners on the corners, Camdenton's bunt went straight to pitcher Joseph Travis, who tossed it to Strobel for an easy out between third base and home plate.
"Something as an offensive team you never want to do, and left that guy hanging and was able to work out of that jam," Ash said.
Shortstop Grant Wood fielded a grounder and stepped on second base for the third out, keeping it tied at 1.
The Jays then struck out twice and grounded out in the sixth.
"We've been good later in the game making adjustments and getting on some really good arms, but today I don't think we made good adjustments," Ash said.
Fortunately for the Jays, Weirich and Travis combined to throw a four-hitter. Weirich struck out seven, walked one and allowed one hit in four innings. Travis pitched the final three innings, surrendering three hits and striking out three, including two in a 1-2-3 seventh.
Weirich is scheduled to start Tuesday's home game against district foe Rock Bridge.
"I wanted to give him some work and not just one inning where he just throws 12 pitches," Ash said. "He needed to be extended so he stays sharp. I thought his breaking ball was really, really good. He was able to work on some things. He'll be ready to go on Tuesday."
It'll be the Jays' final regular season game against a district opponent this season unless the Sedalia Smith-Cotton game, which was scheduled to be played today and was rained out, gets rescheduled. Jefferson City is 3-0 against district foes this season.