SENATOBIA – Northwest Mississippi exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and went on to defeat Jones County 10-8 in Game 1 of their MACJC opening round best-of-3 playoff series here Friday evening at Jim Miles Field.
Game 2 will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday with Game 3, if necessary, to follow at 4:30 p.m.
JCJC led 6-1 going into the bottom of the sixth inning when Ranger Luke Latham singled to score Clay Casey and make it 6-2.
The bottom then fell out for the Bobcats in the seventh.
The Rangers loaded the bases and James Clark and Clay Casey drew back-to-back walks to force in two runs and make it 6-4. Stephen Sexton then singled a run home and Jamell Newsom followed with another bases loaded walk to tie the game at 6-6.
Kody Kimbrough then capped the inning with a grand slam to left to give the Rangers a 10-6 lead.
JCJC got a run back in the eighth when Mason Irby singled to center to score Clint Sasser.
Caleb Ladner singled Tyler Schankin home in the ninth, but the Rangers got a fly out to end the game.
The Rangers scored the game's first run when Dalton Dulin belted a solo home run in the first inning.
JCJC then came back with a four-run second inning. Walt Prince had a two-run double to score Peyton Attaway and Schankin. Clint Sasser's groundout scored Chris Richardson and Dylan Manichia's groundout scored Prince to give JCJC a 4-1 lead.
The Bobcats took a 5-1 lead in the third when Schankin singled and Josh Keel advanced to third and scored on an error.
JCJC went ahead 6-1 in the sixth when Carter Polles doubled in Manichia.
Irby doubled and singled twice for the Bobcats. Schankin singled twice, while Prince doubled and drove in two runs. Polles and Manichia had doubles with John Alan Wall, Richardson and Ladner added singles.
Daniel Goff was the JCJC starter. He went 6 1/3 innings, allowed four runs (three earned), eight hits, walked two and struck out seven. Will Simon then faced two batters and walked both of them. Will Brand, 6-2, then pitched 1/3 of an inning and took the loss. He gave up four runs, two hits, walked two and struck out one. T.J. Hollis pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, allowed no runs, one hit, walked one and struck out one.
Kimbrough homered, doubled and drove in four runs for the Rangers. Dulin homered and doubled, while Casey doubled and singled and Stuart Chick singled twice. LeeMarcus Boyd, Sexton and Luke Latham added singles.
J.G. Lipscomb, 5-1, pitched six innings in relief and got the win. He allowed three runs (two earned), five hits, walked two and struck out seven. Koby Busby pitched the final inning and got his fourth save, allowing no runs, one hit and recording two strikeouts. Colt Smith was the starter and lasted two innings. He gave up five runs (four earned), five hits, walked two and struck out one.
 
 
MACJC Best-of-3 Playoffs
Friday's game
Game 1
Senatobia
At Jim Miles Field
Northwest Miss. 10, Jones County 8
Jones County (30-15)       041 001 011 – 8 11 2
Northwest Miss. (29-13)   100 001 80x – 10 11 2
Daniel Goff, Will Simon (6), Will Brand (6), T.J. Hollis (7) and Mason Irby. Colt Smith, J.G. Lipscomb (3), Koby Busby (9) and Kody Kimbrough. WP-Lipscomb (5-1). LP-Brand (6-2). Sv-Koby Busby (4). JCJC hitters: Mason Irby 2B, 2 1B; Tyler Schankin 2 1B; Dylan Manichia 2B; Carter Polles 2B; Walt Prince 2B; John Alan Wall 1B; Chris Richardson 1B; Caleb Ladner 1B. NWCC hitters: Kody Kimbrough HR, 2B; Dalton Dulin HR, 2B; Clay Casey 2B, 1B; Stuart Chick 2 1B; LeeMarcus Boyd 1B; Stephen Sexton 1B; Luke Latham 1B. LOB: JCJC-11; NWCC-8. T-3:08.
 
Note: Northwest leads the MACJC Best-of-3 playoff series, 1-0. Game 2 will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday with Game 3, if necessary, slated for 4:30 p.m. Saturday.