James Clemens in playoff race with series win over Bob Jones

Zac Duvall smacks a pitch into left field for a hit in JC vs BJ action (Record Photo/Lindsay Vaught)

MADISON- With their playoff hopes dangling by a thread, James Clemens baseball team rallied for a 9-6 win over Bob Jones Saturday afternoon. Then they took the all important rubber game 2-1 for the series win.

Bob Jones won game one 5-2 Thursday night. The Jets now look to next weekends critical series with Hazel Green. If they win, they finish second in Class 7A, Area 8 and make the playoffs.

Heath Burchfield started game 2 for the Jets but four errors allowed five runs to score for Bob Jones and Burchfield left trailing 5-1. Caleb Caple relieved in the third inning and shut out Bob Jones until the seventh to allow the Jets to get back in the game.

Immanuel Wilder and Jordan Anderson got the Jets rally started. Six runs crossed in the fourth inning. Anderson had a double and triple, 2 RBI and scored 2 runs in the game. Taylor Borst had two singles.

“We got great games from a lot of guys,” James Clemens Head Baseball Coach Shane Medlen said afterward. “Immanuel Wilder has played great in the outfield and hit the ball well. Jordan Anderson had a big game today. Caleb Caple may have been our best pitcher since we got back from spring break. All our pitchers have thrown really well.”

Caple got the final two outs with a line drive caught by rightfielder Jacob Phillips who doubled off Chase Henderson at second base.

Overall the Jets are 19-11.

“Mentally it is big to get the win over Bob Jones”, Medlen said. “Having seven seniors who come out here and are leaders and compete makes a big difference.”

Tucker Clark (Shelton State) and Taylor Borst (Snead) have signed. Jordan Anderson, only a sophomore, has an offer from a D-1 school. He is one of the top outfield prospects in his class according to Southern Showcase.

Anderson is hitting around .380.

Tucker Clark pitched a complete game in game 3 after playing shortstop in the other games. Ethan Thomas is the closer for the Jets.

For Bob Jones, Zack Duvall had a big night in game one Thursday with a home runn and two doubles. Luke Whaley pitched a complete game and picked up the win.

Trammell Shepherd started game two and Ford Luttrell started game three.

Bob Jones (10-15 overall) has a series win over Hazel Green and faces Sparkman next weekend. Sparkman is unbeaten in area play.