Diamond Canes Continue Impressive Season Earning Three Wins Last Week

The Jasper County-Monticello High School baseball team added two key region wins in recent outings and went 3-0 overall in the past week.

The Canes scored early and often in a 14-2 home non-region win against Rockdale County on April 8. Jasper County-Monticello scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning to take control of the contest from the onset.

Three more runs in the second, followed by four more in the third inning, all but sealed the win. The Canes added two more in the bottom of the fourth to close out the victory.

Justyn Fields had three hits and Tristan Humphries added two. Baylor Edge drove in four runs in the win against Rockdale County. Graeme Williams and Chris Hays both drew two walks.

Hunter Hays went the distance to earn the victory and recorded six strikeouts.

“It was really good to see the guys bounce back after losing two close region games the two days prior,” coach Brady McMichael said. “We were able to finally put a team away when we had the opportunity. Hunter and Graeme both pitched great and we had a solid defensive game behind them. We were also able to collect 10 hits in the contest.”

Jasper County-Monticello then earned a big Region 3-AA win against Lamar County on the road last Friday. The Canes took a 6-4 region victory as Chris Hays threw five innings with five strikeouts.

Williams, Mac Barton and Austin Cumbess each had hits to help pace the offense while Humphries drove in three runs. Cumbess also had an RBI.

McMichael’s team led 5-0 after the top of the fifth inning but Lamar County climbed back in the contest with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and another in the bottom of the sixth.

Lamar pulled to within a run in the bottom of the sixth but the Canes added a much-needed insurance run in the top of the seventh.

“I was extremely proud of our guys for battling through adversity and finding a way to get a win,” McMichael said. “It was a game of momentum swings and our guys just went out there and didn’t let anything bother them. It was definitely nice to bounce back after losing to them earlier in the week. Cole was great on the mound again and only made one mistake. Trent Maddox came in during the sixth inning and did exactly what he was supposed to do and Myles Proctor closed the door in the seventh.”

The win was key to helping solidify the team’s postseason chances.

“While we didn’t get as many hits as we did on Wednesday, we were able to grind out at-bats and find ways to get on base via walks, hits or errors,” McMichael said. “The next two weeks of the season will determine if we make the playoffs and which seed we will get.”

Jasper County-Monticello had little trouble in dispatching of Northeast-Macon 17-4 on the road Tuesday in region play. Williams drove in five runs and had three hits. Hunter Hays and Tristan Humphries both had two hits. Hunter Hays also had three RBI while Tom Schilling also drove in a run.

Williams and Ethan Lynch both pitched two innings. Lynch struck out five batters while Williams had three strikeouts.

The Canes needed just four innings to record the win using a seven-run second inning to take control of the contest.

Tuesday’s win doesn’t quite clinch a postseason spot for the team but Jasper County-Monticello is certainly in contention.

JUNIOR VARSITY

The JV Canes played a doubleheader at Alcovy High School in Covington on Monday. Caden Mitchell pitched 2.1 innings in the opener and recorded three strikeouts.

In the second contest, Gabe Evens worked 4.1 innings and had six strikeouts.

At the plate, Jackson Taylor, Timber Edge and Tom Schilling help lead the JV Canes.

“The boys played hard even though they came up short in both games,” coach Matt Garvin said.