Jordan edges Southwest to take control of Region 2-3A playoff chase

The Jordan Red Jackets snapped their six-game losing streak Tuesday afternoon at home, winning just their fourth game in 12 home contests with a 10-9 victory over Region 2-3A foe Southwest-Macon.

The win came at the best time for the Red Jackets, who moved into a tie with Kendrick for the fourth and final playoff berth from 2-3A. Kendrick lost to Peach County 11-1 on Tuesday, so both teams are 8-7 in the region.

The Jackets head to Macon on Thursday for the rematch with Southwest, looking for the sweep and the chance to punch their ticket to the state playoffs. Jordan holds the tiebreaker over Kendrick, so with a win the Red Jackets will be in.

“We set the precedent that we made it the last three years, and we let this senior class know ‘don’t be the class that doesn’t get in,’” Dimitri said. “Win or lose (Thursday), we have a shot, but to sweep would be nice. That’s what we’re shooting for.”

Both teams scored once in the opening inning then settled down for a defensive battle in the next three frames. Both pitchers faced only one over the minimum in the second through fourth, with the Red Jackets’ Bryce Long striking out three and Southwest’s Ardallis Hollingshed fanning four over the three innings.

In the fifth inning, Long set down the Patriots in order, then Jordan used a little small ball to break open a huge six-run bottom half of the inning.

“Once it was 1-1, you’re playing for a run right there,” Jordan coach Tony Dimitri said. “Our pitcher was playing good at that time. It was three up, three down pretty much the whole game. You play small ball to try to move runners, get a run, and hopefully hold on,”

Lawson McGregor opened the bottom of the fifth with a walk, one of nine bases on balls surrendered by Southwest pitchers in the game. Jessie Parker reached on a bunt single, Zach Jackson loaded the bases on another walk, and Hunter Boswell started the scoring with an RBI single. Long reached on the third walk of the inning, then John Kropaczewski delivered the big blow with a bases-clearing double. The Red Jackets scored once more to take a commanding 7-1 lead into the sixth inning.

Then, Jordan did their best to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

The Patriots scored four runs each in the sixth and seventh innings, with two in each inning of the unearned variety courtesy of four Red Jacket fielding errors. In each inning, Southwest got a key triple – the seventh inning one off the bat of pitcher Juwan Taylor – to bring in the bulk of the runs.

“We come in with three outs (into the seventh) thinking you still win it 7-5,” Dimitri said. “My question to them was how many actually wanted the baseball. In the middle, I know they’re struggling, but they’re hesitant of it and saying ‘please don’t hit it to me.’ We’ve got to get that out of their head.”

However, Long composed himself in the top of the seventh and struck out the side after the Taylor triple, setting the Jackets up for a bottom of the seventh rally down 9-7.

“Bryce has been a competitor the entire year. He’s been our No. 1, he’s a go-to guy, and he’s a freshman. Being a ninth grader and able to compete like that, he shows a lot of heart and a lot of guts. HE did exactly what we asked him to do; he’s been doing it all year.”

Long opened the Jordan half of the seventh with a walk – his fourth of the game as he went without an official at-bat in the contest – before a Kropaczewski single and Zach Tice walk loaded the bases. Darius Stokes picked up an RBI without swinging the bat on the third walk of the inning, while Sydney Phillips picked up a single to score the tying run, and McGregor knocked in the winning run for Jordan.

“It was a big win,” Dimitri said. “Obviously, we needed it. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do it. The kids responded. They put it in play. They were selective with the plate, but that’s because we put take (the pitch) on until they threw a strike, just trying to help them get on base.”

Dimitri also reflected on the tragic death of fellow Muscogee County high school baseball coach David Pollard of Carver on Monday.

“We talked about it a little bit yesterday with our kids about never knowing what can happen and don’t take things for granted,” said Dimitri. “David was a great guy. … he was always very respectful, very knowledgeable of the game. The kids seemed to respond to him. It was a sad loss for everyone in the community and the game of baseball.”

This story was originally published April 19, 2016 at 9:04 PM with the headline "Jordan edges Southwest to take control of Region 2-3A playoff chase."