Jones County's baseball team is rolling again

The Jones County Greyhounds are off to a hot start and have their minds set on securing one of the top spots in GHSA Region 2-AAAAA.

"What you're telling your guys is that it's a big advantage to be able to play at home," head coach Jason Page said. "If you can be that one or two seed, that's pretty much where you want to put yourself."

The Greyhounds started the season with 11 straight wins before dropping a 5-2 game to Houston County last week.

"We played probably our worst game against Houston County," Page said. "You're not going to be able to play against a team as good as them and have a bad game."

The Greyhounds bounced back this week with region and non-region wins, over Warner Robins, Washington County and Northside, to push their record to 14-1.

"Being able to come back out against Warner Robins and put a complete game together" was big," Page said. "Defensively. We pitched well and hit the ball well. To be able to come back and bounce back from that was good for us."

Jones County will match up against Houston County again on Tuesday, at the Bears' home, and try to avenge that loss and tie the season series at 1 with a final meeting of the regular season set for May 8.

"I feel like we can play with them. I feel like we can play with anybody," Page said. "We have to put a complete game together. They are good on the mound and have some good hitters. They are a dangerous team."

Jones County has scored three or more runs in every game this season, except for the loss against Houston County. Outside of that, the offense has been firing on all cylinders, including scoring 29 runs in the three games since the loss.

"Offensively, Brooks Veal and Teldrick Ross have both been kinda catalysts for us." said Page of the pair that has combined for nine hits and nine RBI in the past two games. Ross is batting .488, as is Jordan Miller, while Veal is at .457. Veal and Ross both have two homers, and Ross leads the Greyhounds with 22 RBI.

Page credits the team's strong offensive play in part to the Greyhounds' defense and pitching dictating the tone of the game.

"On the mound, Bradley Hunnicutt, Keever Walker and Chandler Ramage have been our 1-2-3 guys. Thomas Vickers has come in and thrown the ball really well," Page said. "Those are the guys who have done a good job for us."

Vickers is 4-0 with a 2.49 ERA, while Hunnicutt is 2-1 and Walker 4-0, both with ERAs below 2.00. Ramage has two saves.

The team has also used opponents' mistakes to plate a lot of runs.

"I don't really know for us if we are that potent on offense," said Page, whose team reached the Class AAAAA semifinals last season. "We have done a good job at times of just making teams pay when they give us four outs in an inning."

Even with an offense that has blown out teams this season, Page isn't leaning on that. He points to a tougher road ahead filled with one run ball games. Earlier this year, the Greyhounds picked up wins against with Starr's Mill and South Effingham, 3-2 in both games.

"Anytime you are in a close game like that, I think it is probably what it will be like in the playoffs, if you're able to make it there," Page said. "I would definitely say that the close ballgames are the ones that get you more prepared than the blowouts."

This story was originally published March 25, 2016 at 9:58 PM with the headline "Jones County's baseball team is rolling again."