By Shawn Wansley
JCJC Sports Information Director

ELLISVILLE – Winning is great, but it’s not about wins and losses for the Jones County Junior College baseball team as they play an eight-game fall schedule.

“We do things a little different in these games than we normally would do in the spring,” said second-year Bobcat baseball coach Christian Ostrander. “The biggest thing I challenge the guys with this fall is how they go out and compete, instead of results. Usually, it goes hand in hand. When you go and compete well, you will have success.”

The Bobcats competed quite well as they opened the fall campaign with a pair of victories over East Mississippi, 4-1 and 9-4, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the University of West Alabama.

“I thought we did well,” said Ostrander. “I was pleased with the overall attitude of the team and the way we competed against East Mississippi.”

The Bobcats enjoyed a tremendous spring season in 2009 in Ostrander’s first year as head coach. JCJC posted a 36-16 record, finished third in the MACJC South Division, defeated Northeast Mississippi in the opening series of the state playoffs and ended up fourth in the state tournament. The 36 victories was a single season, school-record.

Ostrander knows the Bobcats will have a target on their back going into the 2010 season.

“I told them the other day in practice that we are not going to sneak up on anybody this year,” he said. “With what the group did last year, having some success, everybody is going to be prepared to play us and it’s going to be a battle. I don’t know if that was the case last year, especially early. But I think it got to that point in the middle of the year.

“There is some pride now. I can see it with these guys. They expect to win. They think they are good and that’s important. I fully expect these guys from now until February to keep getting better. When that time comes to take the field, they are going to expect to win.”

Ostrander believes the 2009 team has set the foundation for future success with Bobcat baseball.

“Last year was so positive,” he said. “Now, you just hope to carry that on and build upon it. It sets the tone and each year, we need to build on it. Each year is a new year with a new battle and a new struggle.

“But the new players are aware that we turned the corner last year and our expectations are to keep moving forward.”

“We try to teach all the little things this fall,” he said. “We try to teach the team stuff, such as the bunt plays, pick plays and things like that. Plus, we want these guys to realize the way we want them to play the game, with certain characteristics like hustle, energy, life and focus.

“We want to break the fall feeling like these guys know what we expect from them.”

Ostrander also believes the installation process is going a bit smoother this year because it is his second year with the program, plus there are currently 11 returning sophomores who tasted success with the team last year.

“It has been easier,” he said. “We have a core group of guys that bought in and figured it out last year. It’s been nice this fall to have that group showing the new guys the way. That’s been, obviously, a positive to have that group who knows us and knows what we expect to lead by example.

“But in that same breath, we still have 15 to 18 new guys who are learning what we want them to do. It takes a little time for them because it is an adjustment coming from the high school level to the junior college level. But having those guys around them that’s been through it, they can watch them and see what they need to do and how they need to play.”

The Bobcats are trying to cover all facets of the game in the fall, as well. Pitching, offense and defense are getting an overall look from Ostrander and his staff.

“We are going over the complete package,” said Ostrander. “From a pitching standpoint, our philosophy centers around being aggressive and throwing strikes. We are not worried about giving up hits, we just want our pitchers to challenge hitters. We did that against East Mississippi. We only walked four in 18 innings, so that tells me, for the most part, they we were going up there not afraid to give up a hit.

“Offensively, we want to be aggressive at the plate, which is what every team says and every team wants to go. When they get to two strikes, they try to fight and move the baseball. On the bases, we want to be very aggressive. We want them to try and turn a single into a double or try to advance a base on a ball in the dirt. Just all of those little things we talked about.

“Defensively, we want them playing with life, good communication and good energy. We know errors are going to happen, but as long as we’re playing with the right intensity, effort and focus, we can handle those errors. That’s just a part of the game.”

The Bobcats have also had to practice off campus this fall. The dugouts, press box, bleachers and fences have been torn down at Bobcat Field in order for work to begin on the new stadium. The team has been holding practices at Wooten-Legion Field in Laurel.

“We are fortunate to have the option of going to Wooten-Legion Field,” said Ostrander. “But we played on a bigger college field yesterday (vs. East Mississippi) and there are differences in the game. It’s hard to simulate some of the things they will get in these fall games or in the spring because of that. But we’re doing the best we can.

“We go out there every day we practice and try to get better. We just try to make the most of it.”

The Bobcats continue the fall season on Monday, Oct. 4, with games at Jackson State University vs. Northeast at 1 p.m. and Coahoma at 4 p.m. They play on Saturday, Oct. 10, at Pete Taylor Park on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi with a 1 p.m. doubleheader vs. Panola Junior College (Texas) and conclude the season on Monday, Oct. 19, at Belhaven in Jackson with games vs. Gulf Coast at 1 p.m. and Coahoma at 4 p.m.

Fall practice will conclude on Sunday, Oct. 25. Ostrander said the team will have an intrasquad series that final week with “…something on the line.” He said there may be a team cookout with the winners receiving steaks and the losers having to cook and serve the meal.

Ostrander also noted the annual JCJC Fall League Baseball Camp for youngsters in grades 9-12 will be taking place Oct. 22 through Nov. 12.

“The last week of October and first two weeks of November we will be playing games Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at Wooten-Legion,” he said. “The players will receive hands-on instruction and we will coach them up during games. We will give immediate feedback. We are going to let them go out there and play and see what happens.

“We did it last year and the thing I enjoyed so much was building relationships with these kids, whether they are underclassmen or seniors. It will be guys we will be recruiting this year and in upcoming years. It’s a chance to get to know them and be around them, so when you do go to one of their games in the spring and shake their hand, you already have a little bit of a relationship with them.

“It’s important to the recruiting process. They get to know us a little bit and we get to know them, too.”

A JCJC fall baseball roster is available at http://www.jcjc.edu/athletics/baseball/2009/2009jcjcfallbaseballroster.pdf

The Bobcats are tentatively scheduled to open the 2010 season on Feb. 2 vs. Bishop State Community College (Ala.).