Jackson baseball team survives wild, 11-inning contest with Monroe

“It was a game for the ages.” So said Jackson baseball coach Kirk Nicholson.

Nicholson praised both his team and his opponents after his Timberwolves came out on top 7-4 against Monroe in 11 innings in a 4A District 1 loser-out playoff game May 13 at Everett Memorial Stadium.

Cole Plummer hit a two-run triple, his second of the day, and scored on a Connor Plaisance single to put Jackson up by three in the top of the 11th inning.

“First of all we thanked our catcher for catching 11 innings,” Nicholson said of Kyle Olson. “Then we just said ‘Hey, we got practice today, tomorrow and the next day.’”

The game almost went to Monroe — twice.

With his team behind 4-1 in the top of the seventh, Jackson’s John Wilde came to bat with two runners on base and two outs. On a 1-2 count he smacked the ball over the right field fence to tie the score.

“If we don’t hit a home run, that ends our year,” Nicholson said. “We’re packing our gear up figuring this season’s over with. Then John Wilde comes in and ties it for us.”

Then, in the bottom of the ninth, a Monroe batter struck out to end the inning, but the ball got past Olson. The Bearcats sent their runner on third base home and he scored, giving Monroe an apparent victory. But the batter failed to run to first base. With the umpires walking off the field, Nicholson yelled to appeal the call and had his team throw to first base to force out the runner.

Jackson (17-6 overall) plays a winner-to-state, loser-out game at 11 a.m., May 15 at Everett Memorial Stadium.

Aaron Hatch led the Bearcats (13-10), going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI.

“They’re a pretty good club,” Nicholson said. “They’re scrappy. They did everything they had to do … they played a great game.”

Sophomore Josh Lang (1-0), who pitched on junior varsity for most of the year, came in and quieted the Bearcats, earning the win for his first decision of the season.

“We had nobody left,” Nicholson said. “My pitchers (came) in and (pitched) their hearts out in the last five innings.

“It was a fantastic game,” Nicholson continued. “There wasn’t a kid that didn’t have a smile on their face … That’s why you coach. Every year you come out for games like that.”