Bob Jones blasts Sparkman to open area play

MADISON- Bob Jones set records for wins and home runs in the first half of the season and did not miss a beat Thursday night in the area opener against Sparkman. The Patriots pounded out 16 hits to claim a 12-0 win in five innings.

“Our guys were zoned in today, they came out hot,” said Bob Jones Head Baseball Coach Jared Smith. “We talked about the rankings, the publicity, the articles none of that matters if you lose area games. Everybody’s record is 0-0 when you start area games. Our guys did a good job of handling it.”

Cam Hill got the start for Bob Jones and worked a perfect first inning. Bob Jones then sent 16 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first, scoring 11 runs. Sparkman starting pitcher Josiah John gave up 9 runs and recorded only one out. Luke Tralongo came on and pitched the rest of the game for Sparkman.

Bob Jones got three singles to start the bottom of the first inning by Caden Rose, Cam Hill, and Mitch Daly. Slate Alford drove home two runs, Dylan Ray one before Kyle Parker was hit by a pitch. John would hit two more batters. John Michael Riley singled a run home as did Stewart Edge. Caden Rose got his second at bat in the inning with bases loaded. He hit a towering home run over the scoreboard for his first ever grand slam.

For Smith the win was especially satisfying because it was his first ever over Sparkman. In fact, last year Bob Jones started area play going 0-6.

“Its’s good to get the monkey off my back and get a win against them. We played them close the last two years. It was tough battles but the past is irrelevant this is a new team for us and them.”

Cam Hill needed only 61 pitches to get the win.

“We took advantage of a big first inning and put them away early. Cam pounded the zone and threw strikes and we made the routine plays behind him,” Smith said.

“We hit more ground balls than we normally do but they found a hole. They played us pretty deep and our fly balls fell. We hit a couple really hard. Cam Hill hit one against the wall.”

The two teams will continue their series Friday at 4:00 at Sparkman