Bob Jones finishes season strong, sweeps James Clemens
MADISON- Emotions ran high April 20-21 as city rivals Bob Jones and James Clemens squared off in their final baseball games of the season. Both teams will miss the playoffs.
Game one was dominated by pitching but the hitters ultimately decided it. Ben East singled in the winning run in the seventh and Bob Jones won 3-2.
Ford Luttrell made his final start in a Bob Jones uniform and got the win going the distance. Zach Toth also pitched well for James Clemens and went the distance.
Tied at one in the fifth inning Caden Rose hit his second home run of the season to put Bob Jones up 2-1. Tommy Crider’s triple scored the equalizer in the sixth for the Jets. Luttrell pitched out of a bases loaded jam by striking out Grant Hopkins. Mitch Daly started the seventh with a walk then advanced on a wild pitch. Toth intentionally walked Rose and Connor Daly to load the bases setting the stage for East with the walkoff hit.
Bob Jones won game two 6-3 as Dylan Ray pitched and won his fourth game of the season. Bob Jones won game three 5-2 as coach Jared Smith gave junior Brendan Bickleman his first start in an area game and Bickleman threw a disputed no-hitter. He added seven strikeouts and picked up his third win of the season. He also led the staff in ERA with a 2.31.
The sweep gave Bob Jones four straight wins to close the season with momentum going into the busy off-season.
“I was really happy with the way our guys finished the season despite being eliminated from the playoffs,” Smith said. “That really says a lot about the character of our players because it is easy to fold up your tent after being eliminated but these guys especially the 12 seniors fought until the last pitch. We will build on that momentum in the offseason.”
Smith had a lot of younger guys step up in the James Clemens series.
Freshman Caden Rose had a huge home run in game 1, had four hits and several walks in the series, and played well at shortstop. Rose finished the season hitting .306, highest on the team among players with over 100 at bats.
Dylan Ray, another freshman, had three hits and pitched the win in game 2. Bickleman is a junior and will return as will Ben East. Cam Hill, Mitch Daly, and John Michael Riley all had big contributions.
James Clemens pitched Garrett Brown and Cannon Clark in games 2 and 3. Among the Jets top returning players are catcher Tommy Crider and third baseman Dylan Kridner.
