First-year Jacksonville Ospreys player Reece Jordan gives the summer collegiate baseball team more than just solid play – the second baseman also provides a championship background.

Jordan joined the third-year club fresh off winning the NAIA National Championship with Tennessee Wesleyan University. It was an experience that the 21-year-old Jordan said was “crazy” and “surreal,” and a memory that will last for a long time.

“The first day of the tournament, we played the host team, and the stands were packed. I think there was about 5,000 people there,” Jordan said. “NAIA schools don’t really get a lot of fans, so it was a big crowd and it was really fun.”

The special moments didn’t stop there.

Tennessee Wesleyan went 6-1 in the NAIA World Series in Lewiston ID., from May 22-30, avenging its only defeat in the tournament, 5-0 to Indiana Southeast in the second round, by winning 10-3 two days later.

Then came a 16-14 victory over William Carey (MS) in the semifinal and a 21-3 triumph over Taylor (IN) in the championship game.

“That 16-14 game was the longest nine-inning game in NAIA history, and maybe even World Series history. It was a dog fight,” Jordan said. “We didn’t give up and somehow pulled that through. And then the championship game was just awesome. We came out swinging against the No. 1 team in the tournament.”

And just like that, Jordan was a national champion.

“Winning taught me that it was more than just about stats. It’s about the relationships that you make with the guys and the people who support you every day,” Jordan said. “To win, it takes 100% effort every day. You have to wake up early to work out and then you show up to class soaking wet in sweat, but it’s what you have to do.”

Jordan, originally from Chattanooga, TN., has carried that mindset to the Ospreys, who have already surpassed the win total from the previous two seasons.

Following Saturday’s 4-0 home win over the Virginia Beach Valor, the Ospreys are 22-8 overall (15-8 in Old North State League Coastal Division) after they went 20-14 last year and 20-16 in their inaugural season.

But like Jordan said, playing baseball is more than just the numbers. It’s also about the experience.

“I love it,” Jordan said. “We have a pretty nice field, the fans coming out are great, the coaches are awesome and we get a charter bus to road games instead of having to drive a school bus or our cars,” Jordan said. “We all joke with each other all of the time, and I think that helps us. We have a strong relationship with each other.”

Jordan added that he aspired to play summer ball, and that he quickly jumped at the opportunity when Ospreys coach Josiah Zamora came calling.

“Coach Zamora called and was like ‘Can you get here as fast as possible?’” Jordan said. “I was like ‘I’m on my way.’”

Zamora also recalled that conversation.

“We found out we were losing a second baseman probably two weeks before the season and I saw that Reece was interested from a player application database,” Zamora said. “The first thing I did was call his college coach and he got us in contact with him. Reece was everything we were looking for.

“Any time you have a guy who can steal a bag at any moment … that’s something you want to have.”

Jordan has had a strong July as he was 3-for-4 with two RBIs on July 2 in a 5-3 victory over the Cape Fear Ghost Crabs and went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs in a 19-9 loss to the Sandhills Bogeys on July 9.

Jordan batted .279 with 32 runs, 16 RBIs and 33 stolen bases in 50 games played for Tennessee Wesleyan this season as a junior.

“I had a pretty rough year this past year. I am just trying to get back to having fun instead of putting so much pressure on myself to hit for a certain average and get a certain number of stolen bases,” Jordan said. “I am actually looking in the transfer portal right now. So, my goal is to just continue to do what I am doing on and off the field and to keep putting my faith in the lord. Things have worked out so far this summer.”

And Zamora has enjoyed seeing that process.

“Reece is definitely a character when he’s not on the field,” he said. “On the field, he’s just an electric athlete who has the ability to swipe a bag at any moment. It’s been tremendous to watch him this summer.”

Chris Miller can be contacted via email at cmiller@jdnews.com. Follow him on X @jdnsports.