Jackets sweep Swainsboro

Jeff Davis High’s baseball team swept a 3-game series against Swainsboro last week, winning 5-4, 8-0 and 4-1. Pitchers Cam Williams, Matthew White and Cole Baucom did not allow an earned run during the series.
The wins improved the Jackets’ record to 15-8 overall and 6-3 in Region 2-AA entering this week’s crucial series with Vidalia (18-4 and 9-0). The Jackets and the Indians met yesterday (Tuesday) in Hazlehurst, play Thursday in Vidalia and close out the series Friday in Hazlehurst.
In last Tuesday’s opener in Swainsboro, the Jackets never trailed but the game was close from beginning to end. Leading 5-3 entering the bottom of the final inning, the Jackets got a scare as Swainsboro scored a run on a double and an error and had the tying run at second with two outs. Senior hurler Cole Baucom came to the mound and got the third out on a swinging cut with a 3-2 count to earn a save.
After a scoreless first inning, the Jackets took the lead with a 2-run second and stretch the lead to 3-0 in the third.
Matthew White opened the second with a single and took second as Matt Glass reached on an error. After Alex Mason advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, Conner Rea followed with a 2-run single to center.
Ethan Griffin and Cam Williams opened the third inning with back-to-back singles. After Griffin took third on a passed ball, White grounded out to short to send Griffin across the plate making it 3-0.
The Tigers cut the score to 3-2 in the bottom of the inning and, in the top of the fourth, Trenton Clance singled and scored on a Cade Walters triple to make it 4-2.
Leading 4-3 entering the seventh, JD got an insurance run that proved to be the difference in the game. Griffin reached first on an error and an out later, White doubled to left to score pinch runner Kamden Munsayac.
The Tigers outhit the Jackets 9-8. JD’s White led the hitting with a single, a double and two RBI. Lance had a pair of singles, Walters had a triple and an RBI, Rea had a 2-run single, and Griffin and Williams both singled.
Williams started on the mound and took the victory. He went five innings, giving up three unearned runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out four. Mason pitched 1 2/3 innings, giving up an unearned run on two hits, walking one and striking out three. Baucom earned the save with his seventh inning strikeout.
In Wednesday’s game in Hazlehurst, White threw a complete game, 1-hit shutout, Walters went 4-for-4 at the plate and the JD defense played without an error as the Jackets breezed to the 8-0 win.
In the Jackets’ side of the first inning, Walters got a 1-out single, stole second and third, and scored as Williams grounded out to short.
In the third, Walters got a 1-out double, went to third on a wild pitch and went home on a balk. Williams followed with a run-scoring single to up the tally to 3-0.
The Jackets made it 4-0 in the fifth as Walters again got a 1-out double, went to third and scored on an error.
The Jackets scored four in the sixth as Mason, Carter Mullis, Walters and Williams all had singles.
Walters led the hitting with two singles, two doubles and an RBI. Willams had a pair of singles and three RBI, Clance drove in a run, and Mason and Mullis singled.
White allowed only five baserunners on a hit, three walks and a hit batter. Two of those baserunners were eliminated as catcher Glass threw out a runner at second on a steal attempt, and Ethan Hulett caught an infield fly out and threw out the runner on second.
Returning to Swainsboro Thursday, Baucom just missed getting the Jackets’ second straight complete game shutout as the Tigers scored an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh inning to avoid the shutout.
The Jackets had 2-run innings in the second and sixth innings in the 4-1 victory.
In the second, White was hit by a pitch and went to third as Glass doubled. White scored as Mason grounded out to short and pinch runner Mullis went to third. Mullis scored on a wild pitch.
In the sixth, White got a 1-out walk, Glass followed with a single and Mason got a 2-run double.
The Jackets got only four hits, a single and a double by Glass, and doubles by Clance and Mason. Mason had three RBI.
Baucom gave up five hits, issued no free passes and struck out seven.
Score by innings:
JDHS 0 2 1 1 0 0 1 -5
SHS 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 -4

SHS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -0
JDHS 1 0 2 0 1 3 x -8

JDHS 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 -4
SHS 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 -1