ELLISVILLE – Kalyn Watts ended game two quickly here Friday night at Community Bank Park.
Watts, a sophomore from Oak Grove, blasted a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift No. 7 Jones County to an 8-6 victory over No. 8 Illinois Central.
The Lady Bobcats had trailed 5-1 in the third inning before rallying for the victory.
After Illinois Central took a 6-5 lead in the top of the eighth, the Lady Bobcats came to bat.
With the international rule in effect, Brittany Hagwood went to second base to start the inning. Rachel Hayes then bunted the ball. ICC pitcher Ali Haesele went to third base to try and get Hagwood, but was too late with the throw.
After a strikeout, Watts stepped up to the plate and hit the first pitch well over the left field wall for the game-winning home run.
ICC had taken a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Courtney Pearson doubled into the rightfield corner and scored on Megan Conner's single.
In the third inning, Megan Foes reached on an infield hit and Joy Treasure followed with a two-run home run to center to make it 3-0.
The Lady Bobcats got on the board in the bottom of the third inning when Ashley Valentine doubled and was replaced by courtesy runner Jay Harris. After Watts walked, Cori McCrary sacrificed the runners. Harris then scored on a wild pitch.
The Cougars took a 5-1 lead in the fourth. Brooke Bolliger reached on an error and Casey Brunton tripled her home. Foes then delivered an RBI single.
The Lady Bobcats cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning when Brittany Baty walked and Autumn Frost launched a two-run home run over the centerfield wall.
JCJC tied it in the sixth.
Natalie Hogue led off the inning with a home run to right-center. Valentine then lined a shot off the pitcher's glove for an infield single. Watts then sacrificed courtesy runner Harris to second.
McCrary then fouled out to right, but Harris was able to tag and take third base. Jessie Bumpous then chopped a single over the third baseman's glove into leftfield to tie the game at 5-5.
Watts homered and singled, while Valentine doubled and singled. Frost and Hogue homered and Bumpous singled to round out the hitting attack for JCJC.
Lauren Welch, the fourth pitcher of the game, was the winning pitcher. The South Jones sophomore went two innings and allowed one hit.
Starter Amanda Holliday went 3 1/3 innings, allowed five runs (four earned), six hits, walked one and struck out one. Jasmine Hill went 2/3 of an inning and allowed a hit. Haylee Morse tossed two innings, allowed one hit and struck out one.
Haesele went the distance and took the loss. She allowed six earned runs, seven hits, walked five and struck out six.
Connor and Foes had two singles each for the Cougars. Treasure homered, Brunton tripled and Pearson doubled. Haesele and Abby Jaques added singles.
JCJC is now 5-2, while Illinois Central is 2-6.
The two teams meet again in a noon doubleheader on Saturday as part of the Gwen Magee Invitational.
 
Friday's game
Ellisville
Community Bank Park
Game 2
Jones County 8, Illinois Central 6
(8 innings)
Illinois Central (2-6)          012 200 01 – 6 9 1
Jones County (5-2)              001 202 03 – 8 7 2
Ali Haesele and Madyson Fox. Amanda Holliday, Jasmine Hill (4), Haylee Morse (5), Lauren Welch (7) and Ashley Valentine. WP-Welch (1-0). LP-Haesele. ICC hitters: Megan Conner 2 1B; Megan Foes 2 1B; Joy Treasure HR; Casey Brunton 3B; Courtney Pearson 2B; Haesele 1B; Abby Jaques 1B. JCJC hitters: Kalyn Watts HR, 1B; Ashley Valentine 2B, 1B; Autumn Frost HR; Natalie Hogue HR; Jessie Bumpous HR. LOB: ICC-7; JCJC-7. T-2:07.