"We try to preach next pitch, next hitter," Wyrick said. "If one guy doesn't get it done, it's the next guy's job to get it done ... or at least give themselves a chance to be successful."

The Jays (10-2, No. 1 Class 5)) helped the cause, as the first four of their five pitchers combined to walk eight and hit a batter. Five of those nine runners scored.

Was it because the Jays were running thin on pitching? Not according to Brian Ash.

"We're not out of pitching," the Jays coach said, "we just didn't throw strikes. Period. Our pitchers have to come out and throw strikes. If they're on that mound, they're a pitcher --- and they did not pitch today, that's just the way it is.

"Give Helias credit, they hit the ball and found holes. But we didn't play very smart, we just didn't play very well. The better team won today."

Ash chose not to use staff ace Jacob Weirich, instead saving him for Monday's key district home game against Hickman --- a team the Jays beat 4-1 on Friday.

"Obviously, this was a rivalry game and the championship of our tournament," Ash said. "But we have other things we have to look forward to next week with two, big district games (the Jays also host Battle on Tuesday).

"And we have to be able to beat teams with someone on the mound besides Jacob."

Helias led 2-0 after one inning and 3-0 after two, before the Jays pulled even with three runs in the third. But the Crusaders promptly answered with five runs in the fourth to make it 8-3, and eventually bumped the margin to 11-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

The Jays --- who defeated the Crusaders 3-0 eight days earlier --- tried to make it interesting with four runs in the sixth, before putting two on with one out in the seventh. That meant the potential tying run was on deck --- but that's where the late rally ended, as Brandon Ferguson earned the save.

"It doesn't matter what the caliber of the teams might be," Wyrick said, "it's going to be a dogfight. I knew they weren't done, they're too good of a team --- they're good hitters, they're good players, they're going to go a long way."

While Cade Galbreath took the loss, allowing five runs in 1 1/3 innings, the winner and MVP of this day was Davidson. He was pulled due to the 105-pitch limit after retiring the first batter in the sixth, and after allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits.

"Great job by Zach," Ash said. "He had a lot of run on his ball on the outer half, and kept us off balance just enough."

Davidson only had one strikeout, but it was a big one --- he fanned Weirich with runners on second and third and two out in the fourth, when a base hit would have cut the lead to 8-5.

It may have been a questionable third-strike call, but Davidson got the call, the Crusaders got out of the jam, and off they went.

"He did a really good job for us," Wyrick said. "He's deceptive, the way he kind of whips the ball. Hopefully, this will build his confidence."

Payton Bodenstab finished with two hits and two RBI for the Jays, who were outhit 10-6. Grant Wood had a two-run single in the four-run sixth in the losing cause.

For the Crusaders, who host Moberly on Tuesday, top offensive stars were: Zach Stiles, who collected three hits and two RBI; Matt Dampf and Alex Buschjost, who both had two hits and two RBI; and Trevor Austin, who scored three runs.

"If you put it in play and try to move guys over," Wyrick said, "you're going to get rewarded a lot of times, because you're trying to do the right thing. I'm proud of the guys for staying aggressive the entire game.

"When (the Jays) tied it up, we could have rolled over and not gotten it done. But we kept swinging --- maybe that's the sign we're coming out of it."

And they have the championship hardware to prove it.

For questions, comments or story ideas, contact Tom at loefflerslink@hotmail.com.

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