EMERSON, Ga. – One does not have to physically see the Georgia Jackets National team playing to know that they are actually playing. If you listen closely, you can probably hear their dugout antics from a mile away. The Jackets have a secret weapon on their team and it comes in the form of noise. Very, very loud noise.

These kids have the art of distraction down to a science, and they definitely know how to raise the decibels when they need to. The Jackets incorporate banter such as yelling “NOT … EVEN … CLOSE” whenever an opposing team tries to pick one of their base runners off or simply yelling non-sense that would drive any cool-headed pitcher crazy. The Jackets have started off pool play in the 2015 14u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational with a winning record due to their energetic and aggressive style of play.

The Jackets beat their first opponent in this tournament, the CSB Jaxx, 8-0, and took care of Team Georgia Red, 4-2. Their first game included stellar pitching, which was boosted by their uncanny ability to put runs on the board. Against the CSB Jaxx, Nathan Camp and Bobby Spencer joined together to throw a combined no-hitter.

In the second game, the Georgia Jackets relied on two clutch hits that gave them the lead early in the game, but it was up to their defense to quell the bats of the Team Georgia Reds if they were going to pull out a close win. Fortunately, Ryan Getz, who can do damage at the plate and on the mound, threw a complete game which included a whopping 20 first-pitch strikes. Getz’ ability to get ahead in the count proved to be the difference in the game. Team Georgia’s hitters simply could not battle back at the plate against Getz’ overpowering fastball, striking out a total of eight times in the course of the game.

The Georgia Jackets National have a sense of familiarity on their team; more than half of them have been playing with each other since they were only five years old and every single player on the team is from Georgia, besides one from Tennessee. Six or seven of the players are going to be attending the same high school as each other, so it is easy for them to bond as a team.

Specifically for this tournament, the players feel that team chemistry along with their pitching is what’s going to carry them to the championship.

“Usually it’s our bats that get us wins, but our pitching has really stepped up so far,” said an excited Getz. “Yesterday we had that no hitter, and I was able to throw a complete game today so if we can keep up the trend of good pitching, then we should be alright.”

The aggressive attitude does not only exist in the dugout, but also on the field. The Georgia Jackets are always looking to take that next base, and if an opposing team lets their guard down for even a second, they take advantage of it. The Jackets understand the importance of a base runner in scoring position, especially since they are so confident in their ability to hit him in.

Along with an aggressive mentality on the basepaths, they are also very free swinging at the plate. When they have to work the counts, they will, but they prefer to mash the first good pitch they see.

“We like to play aggressively because it puts pressure on the other team,” said first baseman and catcher, Grayson Panter. “As a team, we don’t experience very much pressure. Usually we’re the ones doing the rattling. If we can keep our energy high, there won’t be many teams who can hang with us.”

In the Jackets’ final game of the day against the Cobb Coyotes, they showed an outburst of offense that was present during their first game of the tournament, but not in their second. The scoring for the Jackets was ignited by the bat of Getz, who had a deep shot to left-center in the first inning to knock in the first run. In the third inning, Getz victimized the Coyotes pitcher once again with another long drive to the outfield for another RBI.

In the early innings, the Coyotes battled back and were able to scratch away a couple of runs, but as the game entered into the late innings the Jackets really turned it on. They scored five more runs in the last few innings to pull away with the win by the score of 7-2.

This Georgia Jackets National squad has already had great success this year in PG tournaments, having won the 2015 14u Spring Southeast Championship earlier this May. Their younger teams have also won in PG tournaments this year as well, such as the 13u One Day Showdown in early March.

Obviously winning is a priority for the Georgia Jackets, but they hold more importance on the developmental aspect. The main goal for Head Coach Josh Meade, and other Georgia Jackets coaches in all age groups, is to take these kids and turn them into respectable young men. This Jackets National team has their eyes on another PG championship trophy at this year’s 14u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational.

“Our program is about getting these guys out here and developing them from the ground up,” said Coach Meade. “They’re not the same kids after we get them compared to when they arrive. We are big on energy and big on aggressiveness. We have guys who just love to play the game.

“It’d be great to win this tournament. Our guys expect to be in the championship in the end, but they know the work that goes into it. They have already won a PG tourney earlier this year, but every tournament is different. They just have to stay focused, believe in themselves and play the kind of baseball they have been playing all summer.”