The first time they played, Mountain Grove dealt Houston a last-inning loss. On Monday, the Tigers returned the favor.
Junior Sterling Jackson singled through the left side of the infield in the bottom of the seventh inning to drive in two runs and give HHS a 6-5 walk-off victory.
The win came almost one month to the day after Mountain Grove edged the Tigers 4-3 in 12 innings.
“We owed them that,” Houston coach Brent Hall said. “They did the same thing to us.”
The Panthers, who spoiled Hall’s chance at 300 career wins March 21 in the first meeting, looked like they did it again when they scored in the top of the seventh to snap a 4-all tie.
But this time HHS responded.
After three walks to load the bases, Jackson delivered the game winner on the first pitch of his at-bat.
“He’s one of two or three guys I would pick to be up there in that situation,” Hall said.
The Tigers (10-5) improved to 4-1 in the South Central Association as they won their third consecutive game and for the seventh time in eight contests. Five of those victories were by a single run.
“We’re growing. Last year we would lose these games. Now we’re winning them,” Hall said. “The next step for this team is when you get up a run, add another two or three and keep adding.”
Jackson and Alex Castleman drove home two runs apiece for Houston. Connor Wilson and Castleman both doubled.
Jackson went six innings in the start. He gave up seven hits and four earned runs while walking two and striking one. Wilson, who pitched the top of the seventh, got the win.
Mountain Grove, which played in a tournament over the weekend, used two pitchers to try to get out of the bottom of the seventh but couldn’t.
Cody Allen and Wilson, the 1-2 hitters in the HHS lineup, both walked on four straight pitches. Castleman walked on five pitches to load the bases for Jackson.
“They were at the end of their pitching staff. That helped us,” Hall said. “But we performed when we had to.”
IMAGES FROM THE GAME
BOX SCORE
| Mountain Grove | 301 | 000 | 1 | – | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| Houston | 040 | 000 | 2 | – | 6 | 6 | 2 |
HOUSTON (ab-r-h-bi) –– Cody Allen c 2-0-0-0. Connor Wilson ss 3-1-1-0. Alex Castleman cf 3-0-1-2. Sterling Jackson 3-0-1-2. Jacob Koch 2b 3-0-0-0. Trevor Mitchell 3b 2-1-0-0. Devin Wallander dh 3-1-1-0. Braedin Groff rf 3-0-1-1. Hunter Stilley lf 3-1-1-1. Wiley Sisco pr 0-1-0-0. Robbie Mortenson pr 0-1-0-0. Totals 25-6-6-6.
2B: Wilson, Castleman.
| HOUSTON | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Jackson | 6 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Wilson, W | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |