The Jefferson City Post 5 Seniors know what they'll be working on this week after being held to one run in both of their games against Washington Post 218 in the Zone 1 Tournament.
"We'll come out here and get some swings in the cage," Post 5 coach Curt Vaughn said following Saturday's 7-1 loss in the tournament championship game at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex. "I think we need a little something to get the focus back."
Jefferson City matched Washington's eight hits Saturday, but could only get multiple hits in the second inning. Josef Keilholz and Joseph Travis had back-to-back one-out singles but never advanced past second base.
A leadoff single by Michael Skinner in the third led to Jefferson City's lone score. Zach Stiles brought Skinner home from third base with a slow bouncing groundout to third.
Skinner and Travis both had two singles for Post 5.
"I was hoping we would have a little more energy," Vaughn said. "We like playing these guys. We just couldn't get the bats going again today but it happens. Now we're focused on state."
Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Washington in the third. Joe Bauer gave Post 218 a 3-1 lead with a two-RBI single to center field.
In the fourth, Spencer Hunter roped a double to the right-field corner to drive in a run. Washington added three runs in the sixth on three hits and an error.
Keilholz pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the first, but Washington plated four runs in the next three innings. Keilholz struck out two and walked four.
Jacob Adrian pitched two relief innings, allowing three unearned runs with a strikeout and a walk.
Eli Marquart didn't let Post 5 get more than one baserunner in any inning past the third. He struck out two and walked two in a complete-game effort.
Both teams now have the state tournament ahead of them. Washington will play the opening game of the tournament at 5 p.m. Thursday at Liberty Park Stadium in Sedalia. Post 5 will play in the late first-round game.
"This was a very competitive zone and that's why I like we're getting to take two teams to represent this zone in Sedalia," Vaughn said.
Washington scored 27 runs in the four matchups against Jefferson City this season, but Post 5 only gave up about 3.3 runs per game during the 21-9 campaign.
"We seem to always have the pitching staff," Vaughn said. "We've always had three, four, five good starters and guys that can come out of the 'pen. We like our pitching staff."
Two loser's bracket games and a winner's bracket game will be played Friday with the championship game slated for 1 p.m. Saturday.
"I feel really good about where our team is at," Vaughn said. "I know we didn't win today but we did just enough this weekend to keep our chances alive in Sedalia."