James Clemens Baseball- “Movin’ On Up”
Mountain Brook, AL- Both Madison high schools are among the elite eight of the Class 7A state baseball playoffs after both squads advanced to round two of the post-season play. James Clemens defeated Mt. Brook in a sweep of their opening round three-game playoff while Bob Jones needed three games to win its series against Oak Mountain.
Against the Spartans of Mt. Brook, the Jets seemed to love the double as they hit eight doubles over the two games including six in game two. Good defense combined with strong pitching propelled the Jets to 9-5 and 5-2 wins at Mt. Brook.
In the series opener, James Clemens scored four runs in the fourth inning while Tommy Crider went 2-for-3 and Jackson Taylor was 3-for-4 to lead the offensive charge. Although the host Spartans caused the game to be a struggle late in the contest, Laken Lansdell picked up the win for the Jets pitching four superb innings on the mound.
In the second game, breakdowns in the defense by Mt. Brook allowed the Jets to take a lead in the fourth they never gave up. James Clemens starting pitcher Jackson Reece worked six innings to grab the win while Tyler Legere had one inning in relief to snub the home team.
James Clemens (26-15-1) will now face the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies (28-9) this Friday and Saturday in a quarterfinal battle. Head coach Cory Hamrick is in his second season as head coach and remarkably turned the program into a strong and stellar one that is now among the best in Alabama. The squad was 19-19 a season ago.
Bob Jones (34-12) defeated Oak Mt. 3-12, 5-1, 12-5 in their first-round tussle and will now face Huntsville (24-13) on the Panthers home field this Friday and Saturday. Should both Madison schools win their upcoming series, the two cross-town rivals will face one another in the state semi-finals May 11-12.
