James Clemens getting their swings in, Bob Jones next
Josh Burks in action for James Clemens baseball team.
(RECORD PHOTO/ LINDSAY VAUGHT)
MADISON- Twelve games into the baseball season, the first-year James Clemens baseball team is showing progress as the games get more meaningful. The Jets have posted victories over Sparkman, Madison County, Athens, and West Limestone.
Jordan Acosta got the win against Madison County as the Jets scored eight runs on March 5. Curtis Towers got the win over Sparkman in a 14-5 win on February 27. Heath Burchfield was called up from the freshman team to pitch the second game of a doubleheader against Sparkman on March 8. Sparkman won that game 7-0.
The team has five seniors but little varsity experience among them. Scott Adkins played with Bob Jones last year as did Curtis Towers and Adam Brown. Channing Belew transferred from Sparkman and Lee Baker from Madison Academy.
Among the five juniors is starting shortstop Eric Patterson who played the position on the Bob Jones junior varsity team last year.
The team has hit a bump in the road recently as they got shutout in both games of a doubleheader by Sparkman and also lost both ends of a weekend doubleheader to East Limestone and Ardmore.
Coach Shane Medlen’s charges come to Bob Jones for a doubleheader Tuesday night with a 4-8 record. Medlen said that senior third baseman Adam Brown and senior Scott Adkins who plays catcher and designated hitter are two of his team leaders.
“We’re young and got some learning to do but we got good chemistry and we will pull through this little slump,” Adkins said. “I love how when we get something going we all come together and start rallying each other.”
“We’re all excited,” Adkins said of the Bob Jones doubleheader. “We’re going in there with confidence. Bob Jones has a lot of young talent. Most of our guys and their guys are really young. If we play our best game it should be evenly matched.”
Despite the loss Saturday, the Jets still got their rips in against East Limestone as Tucker Clark doubled to deep center to drive home Tyler Lund. The seventh inning rally fell short and pitcher Zach Williams took the loss.
James Clemens will begin area play March 22 with a weekend series against Austin followed by Florence and Decatur the following weekends.
“Our mood has been good but we’re just young,” Medlen said. “Even with five seniors and five juniors there is very little experience at the varsity level.”
Medlen coached at Bob Jones until coming to James Clemens this year.
