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Sync Model Search Show
The Fashion Showcase of the finalists in the Sync Model Search at Cajuns Wharf on Thursday, September 4.
The Helias Crusaders might want to make the Capital City Invitational version of the crosstown showdown an annual occasion. Jefferson City might argue against that.
Sixteen Crusaders came to the plate in the first inning of Saturday's third-place game at Vivion Field. The Jays didn't have that many at-bats until the fourth inning.
"I thought this was going to be a one-run game to be honest with you," Helias coach Chris Wyrick said following a 13-3 victory in five innings against the Jays. "High scoring, one-run game, because any time you play these guys it means a lot to the schools, to the players, to the city. I didn't expect this to happen, but we'll take it and we're ready to move on to the rest of our schedule."
Helias (7-2) matched it's run total of last season's 11-7 win against Jefferson City in the CCI championship game in just the first inning Saturday.
The Crusaders took advantage of six hits, two walks, two hit-by-pitches and four errors to go up 11-0 an inning into the game.
"We were not ready to go," Jefferson City coach Brian Ash said. "Four errors is not going to win you many games. Our guys were not ready, their guys were."
Parker Schnieders had two of his three hits out of the No. 6 spot in the first inning to contribute to the 11-run barrage. His first was a grounder to left field for a single to score Trevor Austin, who reached on an error on a potential double-play ball, to make it 2-0 Crusaders.
Schnieders' second time around the order was a fly ball to left for a single, driving in Austin and Alex Buschjost for the final runs of the inning.
"Parker Schnieders broke out of a slump," Wyrick said. "If we can get him rolling and we get a couple other guys going - some of the guys are still hitting the ball hard, they are just not getting hits - I like our chances down the stretch."
Buschjost had a walk and a two-RBI double to right-center field in the first. Austin Fennewald added a two-RBI single.
"We came out and got them early," Wyrick said. "We've been trying to do that all year. Today was really the first time we broke out that early in a game. We've scored some runs early, but obviously not 11 runs."
Counting the seventh inning of Friday's 14-1 loss to Eureka, Jefferson City (11-4) allowed a combined 20 runs in consecutive innings of play.
"I've never been a part of anything like that," Ash said. "It's a lack of strike throwing, it's a lack of command from our pitchers, it's when we do we're throwing balls right down the middle of the plate, then we're making errors. It's just a combination of everything."
Brandon Ferguson was able to keep the Jays' bats in check for the most part, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts in four-plus innings. Two of the hits and one of the walks came in the fifth before exiting.
"It's going to take teams two and three hits to score a run, and if he can minimize the damage by not walking anybody, that makes your job a lot easier," Wyrick said. "I think he's starting to figure that out."
Ferguson struck out two and stranded a Jays runner at second base in the first inning. He faced four batters in the second and retired the Jays in order in the third.
"He set the tone that first inning by putting up a zero," Wyrick said. "That's the best he's thrown this year and I hope we can build off that for him."
The Jays scored all three of their runs in the fifth.
Tyler Bise singled in Blake Terry, who led off with a walk, for the Jays' first run.
A Cole Gresham sacrifice fly scored a run and Bise scored when Dawson Schulte reached on an error.
Helias closed it out in the bottom half with Schnieders getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to end the game by run-rule.
The Crusaders went 3-1 in the tournament, with their only loss being a 13-0 defeat to eventual champion Hickman. The Kewpies defeated Eureka 10-6 in the championship game at Vivion Field.
"After the Hickman game we kind of got together and talked about a few things and I think a few of the kids figured out that it's more about the team than it is about them," Wyrick said. " We'll be tough to handle if we can just keep things simple, trust your teammates and be a team."
Helias' next game is Tuesday at Moberly. The Crusaders return home Wednesday against St. Dominic.
The Jays have a pair of district opponents next on their schedule. Jefferson City will play Monday at Hickman and Tuesday at Battle.
"We're going to get a scouting report on Hickman and we're going to try to execute it and hopefully it will help," Ash said.
Jefferson City will host Helias in a regular-season meeting April 30.