Bob Jones, James Clemens come together for softball game, breast cancer awareness

Liz Hurley addresses the softball teams Thursday night
(RECORD PHOTO/LINDSAY VAUGHT)

MADISON- “Last season you were all one team. This year you are two teams. But tonight the softball teams of James Clemens and Bob Jones come together for a common cause; breast cancer awareness.”

Those were the words spoken by WAFF-TV news anchor Liz Hurley as she addressed the crowd after Thursday night’s first ever softball game between Madison’s two high schools.

She also recognized each player who played in honor of friends and family affected by cancer. Pink balloons were released and a bake sale raised money.

Despite losing 3-0 James Clemens got a good pitching performance from freshman Emily Jacklin. She struck out some of Bob Jones hottest hitters including shortstop Sydney Booker who had gone 7 for 7 over the last two games. Booker went 2 for 4 with a double.

“She pitched really well today, she has had several good performances this season,” James Clemens head coach Anthony Daugherty said.

Jacklin has the Jets only win this season, a 2-1 victory over Guntersville. With a team composed entirely of freshmen and sophomores, the wins have been few and far between for the Jets who are now 1-11.

But Daughterty, a former student assistant for the University of Alabama softball team, is not measuring progress by wins and losses.

“We have a lot of bright spots that are very young. We have a lot of young talent like we saw in Emily’s performance tonight that gives us hope and expectation for the future.

James Clemens softball coach Anthony Daugherty
(RECORD PHOTO/LINDSAY VAUGHT)

“We are looking down the road, not that we don’t want to win this year, we want to compete and build on some small victories,” Daugherty said. Earlier this week his team dropped their first area 16 game against Florence 13-3.

The batting leader for James Clemens is shortstop Caroline Payne who has seven hits and is batting .269. Sarah Swager leads the team with 3 RBI.    Bob Jones has bounced back from a devastating loss to Buckhorn with a win at Hartselle and a win over James Clemens.

Patriots senior Angela Jollifee pitched the shutout for Bob Jones and hit her first home run of the season. She did not allow a baserunner past first base and allowed only one hit to Katie McCarley.