Braves' kids have big nights

LAWRENCEVILLE — A stellar defensive play from Jones, a two-hit game from Blauser and an RBI single from Uggla might sound like an Atlanta Braves highlight reel.

However, an evening at Coolray Field featuring the sons of three former Atlanta Braves delivered some highlight reels of its own.

Druw Jones and Cooper Blauser, the sons of former All-Stars Andruw Jones and Jeff Blauser, suited up for Wesleyan in the Class A Private state championship series Tuesday, as the Wolves swept North Cobb Christian for the title.

On top of Jones and Blauser, Jackson Uggla, the sophomore son of former All-Star slugger Dan Uggla, started at second base for North Cobb Christian.

“It means a lot more. It’s always good to see guys that you know from when you were younger and all that,” Jones said of playing against Jackson Uggla. “Just making sure you come out here, be competitive and have that competitive edge but still be friends at the same time.”

The three familiar surnames were called together for one play in the first game of the series, when Uggla hit a fly ball off Blauser, who was pitching in relief. It went straight to Jones, who came up with the out in center field.

“It’s what you play the game for. It’s cool,” said Blauser, who is committed to Clemson and finished the night 3-for-6 with a double and three RBIs. ”It’s funny how that happened.”

Two of the players in the Braves family came together for a play again in Game 2 of the championship series, with Uggla providing an RBI single to give North Cobb Christian its first run of game off of Jones, who took the mound for Wesleyan in Game 2.

Uggla finished the night 2-for-5 with an RBI. He played on the same field his father did nine years prior, as part of a brief injury rehab assignment with the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves.

With one out in the fifth inning, Jones, who is expected to be a top-five selection in this summer’s Major League Baseball draft, came up with a defensive gem on a hard-hit ball to center field. He made a lunging grab above his head, making one of the final plays in Wesleyan’s championship victory.

“It means a lot more. It’s always been just baseball, but it really means more,” Jones said.

Jones, who was 2-for-3 with a double, triple, RBI and four walks, said the last time he had seen Uggla was at a celebrity softball home run derby, while Blauser noted that it was the first time he had met him.

“It’s cool seeing it,” Blauser said. “We just try to go out here and play as hard as we can. Baseball’s a fun game. You meet a lot of people and make a lot of connections. It’s cool.”