EDWARDSVILLE - Jude Jones, a senior pitcher and outfielder for the Jersey Community High School baseball team, has enjoyed a good season for the Panthers. He has emerged as an ace pitcher for the Panthers. Jersey has enjoyed one of its better seasons in some time and is currently 19-11 going into the final week of the regular season.
Jude is a Sparklight Male Athlete Of The Month for the Panthers.
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In a game against Edwardsville May 15, 2026, at Tom Pile Field, Jones pitched well, going four innings, and allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits, walking six and striking out two in a tough 6-5 loss to the Tigers in eight innings, a game the Panthers led 5-3 going into the bottom of the seventh, but Edwardsville scored twice in the seventh to tie the game, then scored the winning run in the eighth.
At the plate, Jones went two-for-four in the game. He has 17 RBIs on the season at the plate. On the mound, he's made eight appearances, started one game, and is 1-0, with a 4.88 ERA, giving up 15 runs, 13 earned, on 16 hits, walking 18, and striking out 18.
Jones and his teammates are still happy with how the season has gone for the Panthers.
"I am pretty glad with how the season has been going," Jones said. "We've had some rough seasons. It's definitely been one of the better ones, and that has helped me along with confidence. So, you've got to do what you've got to do."
When he goes on the mound, Jones depends on his change-up and his fastball to get the opposing batters out.
"I have had a good run on my change-up," Jones said, "so that's probably one of my better pitches. But you can't really go wrong with a fastball. Let them hit it, and let the defense do the rest."
With the IHSA Class 3A playoffs starting next week, Jones does feel confident about the Panthers against other foes in the playoffs.
"I'm really confident we could make a good run," Jones said. "There are some teams that could give us a good challenge, but I think we could go pretty far."
It's also the final year of the Mississippi Valley Conference, in which Jersey has been a longtime member. Next season, the Panthers, along with Civic Memorial and Waterloo, will be joining the Cahokia Conference. Mascoutah and Triad jump over to the Southwestern Conference, and Highland will go to the South Seven Conference.
Jones will be sad about the MVC folding, but also knows the team will look ahead to new challenges in a new league.
"It's going to be sad," Jones said, "because I have grown up with Jersey Community in this conference. But, I feel like it's going to do better for the teams that have been running the conference for the past couple of years, and it's going to help out the teams that have been a little bit struggling. So, I think it's going to have a good impact by getting new competition."
