These haven't been the best of times or the worst of times for Thomas Jefferson baseball. But they've been, alternately, good and frustrating times.

The Jaguars are in contention for their first playoff berth since 2000, amassing records of 6-2 overall, 2-0 in Section 4-AAA. Through Tuesday, they shared first place with West Mifflin.

Coach Gregg Fouts' team has distinguished itself ... when it has been able to play. The weather has been awful and awfully disruptive, forcing game cancellations and practices into the gym. Then Monday, the day of the horrific tragedy at Virginia Tech, a bomb threat was found scrawled in a high school restroom.

In response, the West Jefferson Hills district canceled all after-school activities for the week.

No games, meets, matches, detentions, play rehearsals, practices.

"We get on a roll and really feel good about our team. Then we have a layoff because of the weather. Now this," said Fouts, who is in the third season of his second go-round as Jaguars coach.

When Thomas Jefferson has been in uniform, it has been a force, a young and pitching-rich bunch. The Jaguars, however, haven't played since April 10, and now won't be on the field till next week.

Fouts is upbeat about what he calls "a maturing team," one that doesn't have a preponderance of seniors but quality leadership among those who are.

Senior Cory Lotis and junior Brian Scott are the primary starting pitchers, tall right-handers with lively arms.

Lotis, a 6-foot-1, 195-pounder, was a skill-position stalwart on the Jaguars football squad that earned WPIAL gold last fall. He has good speed and provides a deft glove on the mound and at third.

Scott (6-2, 180) has a good fastball and breaking ball, and superb control.

Right-handers J.T. Seelman and George Nahay are seniors who are mostly responsible for long and short relief, respectively.

With makeups ahead, both may get starts. Seelman's specialties are the curveball and changeup, and his control. He'll attend Grove City College.

Nahay (6-0, 215) has been clocked at 90 mph. He also has been a catcher, but now his skills serve him well in center field. He is a muscleman with speed, and one who provides extra-base pop.

Sophomore catcher Tyler Wehner has had a voice in the Jaguars' success, which is appropriate. His father, John, is a member of the Pirates broadcasting crew and a former Pirates player.

Thomas Jefferson opened the season in South Carolina in late March, going 3-1. Freshman Frank Szubra and sophomore Brian Baldrige made such an impression, they returned north as starters -- Szubra at second base, Baldrige in right field.

Baldrige is replicating his surprising 2006 football season, when he stepped in for an injured starter and rushed for 1,317 yards and scored 19 touchdowns.

Junior Rob Ruffing, a speedster with an outstanding right arm, is the shortstop. He is a top-notch fielder and a good hitter.

Lotis shares third base with junior Jack Shaffer, a solid power hitter who also plays at first. Senior Matt Zeiler is the other first baseman.

Junior Dean Langholz (6-0, 195) is the left fielder and a batter with pop. He throws well and is capable as a pitcher and catcher.

Senior Corey Joseph is the designated hitter, which is poetic justice. As a defenseman, he was a designated hitter for the Thomas Jefferson hockey team that reached the Class AA Penguins Cup (Western Pennsylvania) final a month ago, a loss to Pine-Richland.

Senior Ben Werner is a reserve outfielder.

It's hard to believe, but warm temperatures and clear skies will eventually prevail. When they do, the Jaguars will continue their pursuit of long-lost prosperity.

It's been seven years since their previous postseason foray, and a brief one at that -- a 10-0 first-round loss to Ellwood City in AA. TJ's most recent winning season -- 8-7 -- was 1995.

Thomas Jefferson went 8-11, 6-8 last spring, a marked improvement from 5-14, 3-11 in 2005. In failing to reach the playoffs the past six season, the Jaguars were 13-55 in section play.

Fouts, who led TJ in 1998 and 1999 then left the program for five years, is optimistic of getting one of the section's three playoff berths. "We're starting to jell pretty nicely," he said.