By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Spots Director

Ocean Springs junior pitcher Jack Jordan is enjoying a solid season on the mound for the Greyhounds as the current campaign nears the half way point.
And in doing so, he’s carrying on an almost three decade family tradition of success on the pitcher’s mound in Jackson County.
Jordan twirled a complete game four-hitter to pick up the win Tuesday night for Ocean Springs in a 4-1 decision over visiting Biloxi that served as the Region 4-7A opener for both teams.
“He’s been very good,” first-year OSHS head coach Ryne Long said. “He’s the ultimate competitor and always wants the ball in the big game or situation. He prepares the same way week in and week out, he knows his routine and what works for him and he sticks to it. We feel like we have a chance to pitch at a high level from top to bottom and he’s set the tone from the top of our rotation since his first time out.”

Against the Indians on Tuesday, Jordan allowed three singles and a double while striking out five and walking just one. He got all the support he needed thanks to a three run homer from Maddox Moreland in the first frame.
That productive pitching performance came on the heels of a complete game, five-hit 3-0 shutout over powerful Jackson Prep last week in the ninth annual Battle at the Beach. Jordan scattered just five singles while striking out nine and walking three in that dominating effort.
“What a great effort on the mound by Jack,” Long said. “A Complete game shut out against a team like that.”

Jordan, who stands 2-1 so far this season, went 3-0 as a sophomore in a limited role on the hill as the Greyhounds qualified for the Class 6A South State playoffs. He also saw some action on the mound as a freshman as well.
Jordan is following in the footsteps of his father, John Jordan, who was a standout on some powerful Pascagoula High teams under legendary head coach Johnny Olsen in the mid-1990s.
The elder Jordan was one of the more effective pitchers in the state for a two year span as a junior and senior and combined with classmate Blair Varnes to give the Panthers one of the best one-two pitching punches in the Gulf South region in 1996 when Pascagoula captured the Class AA state championship.
John Jordan finished 35-10 over a four year span at PHS from 1994-97, finishing with 300 strikeouts. As he junior, he was carved out a 9-2 worksheet in 1996 registering a 1.98 earned run average and he struck out 75 batters in 81 frames of work.

Varnes was 15-0 with 1.54 ERA and collected 131 strikeouts in 92 innings as he earned Player of the Year honors in the state of Mississippi in 1996. Varnes was 41-4 in his career with 397 strikeouts.
The elder Jordan went 9-5 as a senior as ‘Goula compiled a 30-8 mark but came up just short of making a return to the state title round.

“He was very dedicated to the game and one of the hardest workers I ever coached,” Olsen said. “He studied his opponents and was one of the smartest pitchers I ever had.”
John Jordan was 7-1 as a freshman and began to blossom as a sophomore putting up a 10-2 mark.
Jordan, Varnes and PHS outfielder Enrico Jones all played all played in the 1997 National Amateur All-Star Baseball Tournament at Commiskey Park the home of the Chicago White Sox at the end of their senior season.

Like his son, John Jordan was a crafty righty with a three pitch mix that kept hitters off balance.
“I’ve heard he has a lot of the same qualities such as his competitive spirit and desire to win as his dad had,” Long concluded. “That seemed to be the norm from teams led by Coach Olson.”
John Jordan also didn’t bat his first three seasons at PHS, but then excelled at the plate his senior season as the lead-off hitter hitting over .300 and leading the team in stolen bases.
Jack Jordan has come on at the plate this season, currently hitting just over .300 with nine RBIs.
The younger Jordan hopes his Greyhounds can accomplish something similar to what his father’s Panthers did almost 30 years ago before his prep career is over.