James Clemens wins city rivalry pink game
Jets pitcher Emily Jacklin fires a pitch to Hunter Smart (Record Photo/Lindsay Vaught)
MADISON- A standing room only crowd watched as Bob Jones and James Clemens threw the best they had at each other for 7 innings. In the end it was the Jets winning 7-3 in the annual Breast Cancer Awareness game.
“This game means a lot to all of our kids. It is such a fun, competitive rivalry and we got a lot of respect for them as I’m sure they do us,” said James Clemens head Coach AJ Daugherty.
Bob Jones started quickly by loading the bases in the first inning but Jets pitcher Emily Jacklin got a pop out to end the threat. Shelby Booker started off with a base hit for James Clemens, stole second, and scored on a single by Aubrey James. Jordan McMeans and Jacklin followed with RBI singles.
“There is a lot of emotion in this game and to jump on top early was huge. To get out of that jam set the tone for the game” Daugherty said. “That win makes us 9-3 and it’s hard to say but I feel we have not played very well this season. We have some new kids plugged in where we lost senior starters and are not firing on all cylinders yet.”
Shelby Booker is one Jet who is playing well. She went 4 for 4 with 3 stolen bases and scored 3 runs.
Jacklin ran her record to 6-1. She changed speed all game and reached back whenever she needed for a fastball that got four strikeouts.
“She mixed it up pretty good, she made good pitches and they got some hits to fall,” Daugherty said of Jacklin.
Bob Jones pitcher Hannah Pope came in on a roll. She threw a no-hitter against Cullman last week and a complete game win against Hazel Green. Against the Jets she had good control allowing only two walks. She allowed 11 hits.
“Hannah threw a great game today, she kept them off balance,”said Bob Jones coach Kent Chambers. “They are a great hitting ball team so you got to give them credit. We didn’t keep Booker off base.”
Bob Jones leftfielder Hunter Smart made two nice catches and threw out a baserunner at home plate in the sixth inning. She also went 2 for 3 at the plate.
“She is a really good outfielder for us,” Chambers said.
James Clemens built a 6-1 lead on a two run single by Aubri James in the fifth. Bob Jones struck for two in the sixth on a single by Smart, a double by Mikayla Jones, and single by McKenna Ray.
In the seventh Jacklin was still going strong and ended the game on a strikeout, flyout, and pop out.
The Jets have an area showdown on Thursday as James Clemens travels to Sparkman to make up a game rained out last week.
“Its a big game, its a big test for us,” Daugherty said.
