ELLISVILLE – Erick Hoard homered twice and drove in five runs and Ben Stiglets sparkled on the mound to lead Jones County Junior College to a 12-2, seven-inning victory over East Mississippi in game one of a doubleheader here Saturday evening at Community Bank Park.
Hoard continued his torrid week.
He had a solo home run in the fifth and ended the game with a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh. He also homered twice in a doubleheader sweep Wednesday vs. East Central.
Hoard has nine home runs and 32 RBIs on the year. He is tied for second in the nation in home runs.
Stiglets excelled on the mound for the Bobcats.
He went the first five innings and improved his record to 5-0. He allowed no runs, five hits, walked none and struck out four. He has allowed only earned run in 22 innings pitched this season.
JCJC took a 4-0 lead in the first inning on only one hit.
Mason Irby was hit by a pitch and Tanner Huddleston, John Alan Wall and Hoard drew walks to force in a run. Jonathan Parker then cleared the bases with a double to right.
The Bobcats made it 8-0 in the fifth.
Clint Sasser reached on an error and scored on Shelton Wallace's single. Wallace later scored on a wild pitch. Huddleston doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error.
With two outs in the inning, Hoard homered to center.
The Lions made it 8-2 in the top of the seventh.
Zack Boone reached on an error and Taylor Stafford and Marcus Ragan drew walks to load the bases. Emil Ellis then grounded into a 6-4-3 double play (Dalton Skelton to Sasser to Hoard), which scored Boone. Stafford then scored on another error.
The Bobcats ended the scheduled, nine-inning game in the seventh.
Wallace was hit by a pitch, Irby singled and Huddleston drove in Wallace with a fielder's choice. After Wall walked, Hoard crushed his home run deep over the leftfield wall.
In addition to Hoard's big game, Huddleston doubled and singled, while Parker doubled and drove in three runs. Wallace, Irby and Skelton added singles.
Reed Michel pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief of Stiglets. He allowed two runs (none earned), no hits, walked four and struck out one. Tristan Labove got the final out of the game.
Marcus Ragan, Emil Ellis, Andrew White, Mike Farnell and Zack Boone each singled for East Mississippi.
Chance Riley was the starter and loser for the Lions. He pitched 2/3 of an inning, allowed four earned runs, no hits and four walks. J.C. Redden pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowed four runs (none earned), six hits, walked none and struck out four. Dalton Markle pitched to two batters, allowed one hit and hit a batter. Ben Smith pitched 1/3 of an inning, allowed two runs and one it.
 
Saturday's game
Ellisville
Community Bank Park
Game 1
Jones County 12, East Mississipp 2
(7 innings)
East Mississippi (4-15, 0-3)         000 000 2 – 2 5 2
Jones County (20-1, 3-0)             400 040 4 – 12 8 3
Chance Riley, J.C. Redden (1), Dalton Markle (6), Ben Smith (7) and Mike Farnell. Ben Stiglets, Reed Michel (6), Tristan Labove (7). WP-Stiglets (5-0). LP-Riley. EMCC hitters: Marcus Ragan 1B; Emil Ellis 1B; Andrew White 1B; Mike Farnell 1B; Zack Boone 1B. JCJC hitters: Erick Hoard 2 HR; Tanner Huddleston 2B, 1B; Jonathan Parker 2B; Shelton Wallace 1B; Marcus Irby 1B; Dalton Skelton 1B. LOB: EMCC-10; JCJC-2. T-2:26.