Jordan Jones knew his team needed a morale boost.
Stanhope Elmore ended spring break on an eight-game losing streak that included six losses at the Hoover Met last week. But the Mustangs returned home Monday afternoon for senior night and Jones sent his seniors out with a big win.
Jones pitched a complete game shutout as Stanhope Elmore beat Prattville Christian Academy, 1-0, at Furlow Field. Jones pitched allowed just five hits and three walks with five strikeouts.
“That is by far the best Jordan has pitched,” Mustangs coach DK Shuman said. “He’s been getting better and better, but right there just shows what he’s capable of. He works ahead and he uses his changeup and it’s a really good pitch. I’m proud of him for continuing to get better every outing.”
Jones kept himself out of trouble for most of the game and got himself out of it fairly quickly when he did. In the top of the second, he allowed one of his five hits along with an error but stranded runners at first and second with a strikeout.
He then stranded two runners on base in both the third and fourth innings, but didn’t allow anyone to cross home plate.
In the top of the seventh, he ran into his most trouble. After a flyout started the inning, a walk and two singles loaded the bases with one out. Shuman walked out to the mound and brought his infield in to calm down Jones.
It worked perfectly as four pitches later, he struck out a batter on his 99th pitch and was able to stay in the game. The next batter flew out to right field and the game ended.
“I felt like he earned the right to try and finish that game,” Shuman said. “If he would have thrown one more pitch to the second out, we would have had to pull him out because he’s a sophomore and the AHSAA pitch count rules. I’m glad we didn’t. He earned the opportunity to finish it.”
Stanhope Elmore’s run came in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jackson Stallworth led the inning off with a walk, then Connor Gardner followed him up with a walk, then Cavarous Ellis loaded the bases with an infield error. Tate Glover then beat out an infield single for the team’s only run.
The win comes at the perfect time as Stanhope is jumping back into area play and is just one week away from meeting rival Wetumpka to decide which team will be the area champ and which will be runner up.
The game also broke an eight-game losing streak to Enterprise, Chelsea, Vestavia Hills, Lincoln County, Bob Jones, Leeds and Auburn, some of the best teams in the state.
“We competed in every game we were in,” Shuman said. “To compete with that level of teams – I don’t believe in moral victories – but our guys didn’t have anything to hang their hats on. They competed with some of the best teams in the state. That’s going to make us better down the road.”
Stanhope Elmore also welcomed in some of their arms to the lineup in the last week. Tyler Woodham and Jackson Stallworth, both of whom were supposed to be two of the team’s top arms, were hurt and could not pitch for the first 25 games of the year.
But both took the mound over spring break. Stallworth pitched two innings and allowed one earned run while Woodham gave up one earned run in five innings.
They will both continue to try and get more innings as the season gets closer to the postseason.
“We’re getting healthier, which is a positive,” Shuman said. “Hopefully we’re able to continue that and that will give us a boost going into the playoffs.”
