Bob Jones swinging hot bats, area games start Friday
Matt Sanders is hitting close to .500 this season and leads Bob Jones in RBI’s
(RECORD PHOTO/ LINDSAY VAUGHT)
MADISON- Just like the weather, Bob Jones batters are starting to heat up. With their first Area 15 series against Hazel Green starting Friday the timing couldn’t be better.
The recent surge by the Patriots includes a doubleheader sweep of James Clemens and home wins over Northridge and Florence in the SportsMed tournament.
As expected, shortstop Matt Bolger is right in the middle of the rallies. In a 10-3 win over James Clemens he went three-for-three with a walk and four runs scored.
The South Alabama signee is hitting .462 for the season.
“I really like this team,” said Bolger. “We’re starting to hit and the pitching is coming around.”
Matt Sanders has been on a tear that has seen his average go above .500 after a 5-for-5 game against Northridge. Catcher Collin Dupree is also in the .400 club with a .425 average. Against Northridge he tripled and scored two runs.
“Those three guys have been swinging the bat really well,” said Bob Jones baseball coach Jeff Bell.
Bells top priority entering this season was to restock his pitching staff after the graduation of two of the best pitchers in the program’s history.
That job got even harder when the teams top returning starting pitcher, Zach Trussel, left the team.
But the program has always produced top talent and several pitchers have stepped up to assume leadership roles.
“Our top guys are seniors Austin May and Matt Bowen. Grant Chandler, a 10th grader has been pitching well for us. Nathan Burch has been throwing well,” Bell said.
May was the teams closer last season and had seven saves. This year as a starter he is 3-1 with an ERA of 0.26. He pitched a shutout against James Clemens.
“Last year I had some rotator cuff problems,” May said. “That is why I was a closer but it is better and I can go seven innings like I want.”
May said that he is comfortable with the new starting role because it means less pressure than coming in with men on base and the game on the line.
He is set to attend Mississippi State next season. He is holding out hope of a baseball scholarship offer from the Bulldogs.
May said the team is ready for some big games. “We’re playing really well right now, just keep playing hard. We still got some things to work on. If we can improve on those things we can get past what we did last year”.
May would like to forget the ending to last season. He gave up a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning to Sparkman’s Daniel Garner in the area tournament as Bob Jones’ season was ended by a two game sweep. Ironically, Garner is now playing baseball for Mississippi State.
“It keeps us motivated,” May said of the way last season ended.
Bob Jones opens Area 15 play at Hazel Green Friday night at 6 p.m. The series continues at Bob Jones Saturday with games at 1 and 3 p.m.
