ELLISVILLE – The 2^nd-ranked Jones County Junior College Lady Bobcats set the tone quickly in the Region 23 Tournament.
Leadoff batter Kalyn Watts ripped a double into the leftfield corner, scored one batter later and the Lady Bobcats went on to crush No. 10 Mississippi Gulf Coast 13-2 in six innings here Thursday night before a packed house at Community Bank Park.
It was the beginning of a huge night for Watts. The Oak Grove freshman also belted a grand slam and finished the contest with six RBIs.
The win moves JCJC, 41-4, to within one win of qualifying for its fourth straight trip to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.
The Lady Bobcats will face 11^th-ranked East Central at 4 p.m. on Friday in a winner's bracket game. East Central, 41-10, stunned top-ranked LSU-Eunice 4-3 in the tournament's first game. The Lady Bengals, 46-5, will meet MGCCC at 2 p.m. in a loser's bracket game.
The LSU-Eunice/MGCCC winner will then meet the JCJC/East Central loser at 6 p.m. in an elimination game.
The championship will be determined on Saturday.
The top two teams in the tournament will head to the nationals at Clinton's Traceway Park May 13-16.
Lady Bobcats 13, Lady Bulldogs 2
(6 innings)
After Watts doubled, Rebecca Monceaux sacrificed.
MGCCC threw the ball away at first base and Watts scored to make it 1-0.
In the third inning, JCJC began to flex its muscle.
Watts reached on a bunt single and Monceaux drew a walk. Lauren Holifield then drilled her nation's best 28^th home run off the scoreboard in leftfield to give the Bobcats a 4-1 lead.
MGCCC got on the board in the fourth when Jennifer Walker led off with a walk and Catelyn Williams singled. A sacrifice by Brittany Cooley and a walk to Deborah Elmore loaded the bases.
Britney Butler then hit the ball to centerfield, but the runners had to hold to see if the ball would be caught. Watts fielded it on a hop and threw to third to force Williams, but Walker scored on the play.
The Lady Bobcats then took an 8-1 lead in the fifth.
Tori Dew led off with a double and Holifield doubled her home. Hailee Kolwyck's RBI single scored Holifield. Kayleigh Williams and Savannah Lyon were then both hit by pitches to load the bases.
Watts chopped a two-run single down the left field line to score Kolwyck and pinch-runner Shelby Nelson.
JCJC then put it away with five runs in the sixth.
Holifield led off with a single, Brittany Seale walked and Kimberly Nilsson had an RBI single. After Nelson sacrificed, Jay Harris drew a walk to load the bases.
Watts then drilled a line drive, grand slam to left to make it 13-1.
Cooley led off the bottom of the sixth with a home run to right-center to end the scoring.
Watts homered, doubled, singled twice, scored three runs and drove in six for JCJC. Holifield homered, doubled, singled and drove in four runs to give her 82 RBIs on the year, which is fifth in the nation.
Nilsson had two singles, while Dew doubled. Seale and Kolwyck added singles.
Teri Richey, 17-1, started and got the win. She went 4 1/3 innings, allowed one run, two hits, walked three and struck out three. Rachel Hayes pitched the final 1 2/3 innings, allowed one run, two hits, walked one and struck out three.
Elmore singled twice for MGCCC, while Cooley homered. Williams added a single.
Paige Breal started and took the loss. She went 4 2/3 innings, allowed seven runs (six earned), eight hits, walked one and struck out one. Reid Cooley pitched to three batters, hit two and gave up a hit and a run. Kristen Gardner went 1 1/3 innings, allowed five runs, three hits and walked three.
Mississippi Gulf Coast falls to 40-12.

Region 23 Tournament

Ellisville
At Community Bank Park
Thursday's Game 2
Jones County 13, Miss. Gulf Coast 2
(6 innings)
Jones County (41-4)                103 045 – 13 12 0
Miss. Gulf Coast (40-12)          000 101 – 2 4 2
Teri Richey, Rachel Hayes (5) and Brittany Seale. Paige Breal, Reid Cooley (5), Kristen Gardner (5) and Brittany Cooley. WP-Richey (17-1). LP-Breal. JCJC hitters: Kalyn Watts HR, 2B, 2 1B; Lauren Holifield HR, 2B, 1B; Kimberly Nilsson 2 1B; Tori Dew 2B; Brittany Seale 1B; Hailee Kolwyck 1B. MGCCC hitters: Deborah Elmore 2 1B; Brittany Cooley HR; Catelyn Williams 1B. LOB: JCJC-7; MGCCC-8. T-1:58.

Region 23 Tournament                                                                    

Ellisville
At Community Bank Park
Thursday's results
Game 1, East Central 4, LSU-Eunice 3
Game 2, Jones County 13, Mississippi Gulf Coast 2 (6 innings)
Friday's games
Game 3, LSU-Eunice vs. Mississippi Gulf Coast, 2 p.m.
Game 4, East Central vs. Jones County, 4 p.m.
Game 5, Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 6 p.m.
Saturday's games
Game 6, Championship, 2 p.m.
Game 7, if necessary, 4 p.m.
 
Top two teams advance to NJCAA Division II National Tournament May 13-16 at Traceway Park in Clinton.