Springfield rolls Jackson to advance to Sub-State

Staff photo by Ari Selvey Springfield's Kadyn Anderson (1) celebrates with Noah Neperman (16) after both score runs during a Sub-Sub-State Division B Tournament game against Jackson Saturday at Riverside Park in Springfield.
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Legion earned a trip to the Sub-State Tournament with a blowout win over Jackson, winning by an impressive 25-2 margin in five innings Saturday at Riverside Ballpark.
Thirteen of the 25 runs came in the fourth inning, as Springfield ran through the order twice. Early on, Springfield’s aggressive baserunning was a factor, as it scored three of its first seven runs by stealing home base, but as the game wore on, hitting and errors became the main source of runs for Springfield.
Kade Nachreiner earned the win for Springfield, striking out eight while allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits in five innings pitched. At the plate, 10 different Springfield Tigers reached base, with eight of them collecting at least one hit. Noah Neperman was 4 for 5 with four RBIs and three runs scored, while Adiel Trevino was 4 for 4 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Leo Hovland was 3 for 5, with all three of his hits coming in the fourth inning, along with two runs scored and an RBI. Eli Streich was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Madden Lendt was 1 for 2 with three RBIs and four runs scored.
Lendt scored the first run of the game on a double steal with Neperman, stealing home for a 1-0 lead. Jackson knotted it up in the second inning with one run on one hit, but Springfield scored six runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by doubles from Neperman and Streich. Five more runs came in the third inning, with Neperman earning two RBIs on a single, Trevino hitting one in on another single, and the rest coming on errors. Finally, Springfield poured on the runs in the fourth inning, with Trevino earning three RBIs on a single and a double, Neperman earning three more on a double and a groundout, Lendt batting two in on a fielder’s choice and a hit by pitch, and Hovland hitting two singles and a double for an RBI and two runs scored.
Jackson scored one more run in the top of the fifth on a hit, a walk, an error and a hit batsman before Nachreiner notched his final strikeout to end the game.
With the win, Springfield earns the third and final spot to advance from the Southwest Sub-Sub-State B Bracket and advances to the Southwest Sub-State tournament and awaits seeding for its next game. The Sub-State Tournament begins Thursday in Truman.