SEDALIA, Mo. - The Jefferson City Post 5 Seniors don't lose very often. They certainly don't lose by eight runs.
Saturday's 9-1 loss to the Lee's Summit Outlaws ended a 12-game winning streak that spanned nearly a month. But the state tournament is double-elimination, and Post 5 was ready for game two at Liberty Park Stadium.
Jefferson City scored three or more runs in three different innings in a 13-3 win, including four in the seventh to end it by run-rule.
Post 5's pitching depth came into play as Ryan Paschal took the mound in the second game, retiring the side in order in three innings after allowing two runs in the first.
"We knew if we had a hiccup and lost one he's the one we're going to in the winner-take-all game," Post 5 manager Curt Vaughan said. "He's been good all year for us and he stepped up. He wanted the ball and he did what he was supposed to do."
The first three Lee's Summit batters reached, including Hayden Bradford's RBI single to right. Jefferson City then turned a 6-4-3 double play, allowing a second run to score. But that's all the damage Lee's Summit could muster until adding a run in the seventh when the game was already out of reach.
The Outlaws went down in order in the third, fifth and sixth.
Lee's Summit loaded the bases with three straight one-out singles in the fourth before a 1-2-3 double play ended the threat.
A walk, double and groundout scored a run in the seventh, but a groundout clinched the game and Paschal got the blunt of catcher Gavin Strobel running and tackling the winning pitcher to start the dog pile.
"Being a state champion is probably one of the best feelings I've ever had," Paschal said. "Especially being the pitcher, it felt really good."
Paschal also went 2-for-5 at the plate with and RBI from the leadoff spot. Parker Schnieders had three hits and an RBI right behind him.
Hayden Hirschvogel was a perfect 5-for-5 with two RBI.
Kade Franks subbed for Jonathon Backes, who's sacrifice fly drove in the first run, and delivered with a bases-clearing double to left field in the seventh.
Brandon Williams was the third Jefferson City player with multiple RBI as his double to the left-field gap scored two in the first.
Backes was the lone Post 5 player with multiple hits in the first game.
"We had a talk after the game as a team and we all came together and were like, 'We're not going to lay an egg again,'" Paschal said. "We didn't lay an egg, but we're not going to come out and play like we did. We're going to play our baseball and we're going to focus up."
Cade Raglund pitched the first 2 innings for Lee's Summit after throwing the final two innings of the first game.
The Outlaws then turned to Jeremy Root the rest of the way.
Ryan Suholaski scattered seven hits in seven inning for the win in the first game. He struck out three, walked two while allowing just one run.
Suholaski got plenty of run support before he even stepped to the mound, as the Outlaws scored four runs.
"I think we came into the game overconfident," Thomas Verslues said. "We didn't get runners in, we had a couple line drive double plays inning killers."
The third inning ended with a 5-3 double play on a lineout with runners ta first and second.
Jefferson City also stranded a runner at second in the fifth and sixth innings.
"The second game we started working the counts, not swinging at first-pitch balls," Verslues said.
Post 5 will take its hot bats to New Orleans for the Mid-South Regional Tournament.
Jefferson City will also take its deep pitching staff, plus one addition.
"I think we actually have a really good chance," Verslues said. "We have a lot of pitching. I think we have Jacob Weirich coming back from Southern Mississippi so we should get another ace pitcher on the mound for us."
Verslues is correct. Weirich, who will play for Southern Mississipi in the spring, will return to the team this week.
Post 5, which is now 29-8, will face the Mississippi state champion at noon Wednesday to begin the five-day tournament.
"We love where we're sitting," Vaughan said. " I like our chances if we can get that first game and get something rolling."