ELLISVILLE – Fans in attendance at Community Bank Park Friday afternoon witnessed one of the most dramatic games in the brief history of the ballpark.
Jones County's Marcus Hardy hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run on a full count pitch with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie Northwest at 6-6.
Erick Hoard then won the game for the Bobcats with a two-run, walkoff home run in the bottom of the 10^th as JCJC stunned the Rangers 8-6 in game one.
Things looked rather bleak for Jones for most of the game.
The Bobcats trailed 6-0 going into the sixth inning when they began to chip away at the lead.
Clint Sasser led off the sixth with a home run over the left-centerfield wall to make it 6-1.
In the seventh, Hoard drew a walk and John Alan Wall reached on an error. Jonathan Parker hit into a double play, allowing Hoard to take third base. Hoard then scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-2.
In the eighth, Mason Irby drew a one-out walk. With two outs, Hoard hit a sinking line drive into centerfield. Jamell Newson tried to make a diving catch, but the ball got past him and rolled to the wall. Irby would score on Hoard's triple to make it 6-3.
The first two Bobcats were retired in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Fred Franklin was then by a pitch and Sasser reached on an infield single.
Hardy, a sophomore from Hattiesburg, then got the call to pinch-hit. On a 3-2 pitch, he connected and hit a high, opposite field home run over the leftfield wall.
After the Rangers went in order in the top of the 10^th, it did not take long for the Bobcats to end it.
Tanner Huddleston singled on the first pitch and then Hoard stepped in and hit the first pitch for a home run over the centerfield wall.
Northwest had taken a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Hunter Wilson and Jake McPhail singled and Hunter Bishop reached on a fielder's choice. Newson walked to load the bases and Ryan Skalnik followed with a two-run single.
The Rangers took a 6-0 lead in the sixth.
McPhail and Bishop singled and Newson walked to load the bases. Skalnik doubled to score McPhail and Bishop. LeeMarcus Boyd's groundout drove in Newson and Aaron Campbell doubled to score Skalnik.
Reed Michel, 2-0, pitched the final two innings and got the win. He allowed no runs, hits or walks. He hit a batter and struck out three.
Starter Ben Stiglets went five innings, allowed five runs (all earned), eight hits, walked three and struck out two. Will Brand pitched three innings, allowed one run, three hits, walked none and struck out one.
Hoard homered, tripled and singled for JCJC. He now has 10 home runs on the season, which is third in the nation. Sasser homered and singled for the Bobcats, while Dalton Skelton singled twice. Hardy homered, while Huddleston, Wallace and Franklin singled.
Skalnik doubled twice, singled and drove in four runs for Northwest, while Campbell doubled twice and singled. McPhail singled twice with Boyd getting a double and Wilson and Bishop adding singles.
Starter Colt Smith – a Southern Miss signee – went eight innings, allowed three runs (two earned), seven hits, walked four and struck out two. Kody Busby pitched the ninth inning, allowed three runs on two hits. J.R. Miller, 2-2, pitched to two batters in the 10^th and took the loss.
 
  
Friday's game
Ellisville
Community Bank Park
Game 1
Jones County 8, Northwest 6
(10 innings)
Northwest (12-9, 4-5)                    000 204 000 0 – 6 11 1
Jones County (23-2, 6-1)              000 001 113 2 – 8 11 2
Colt Smith, Kody Busby (9), J.R. Miller (10) and Cody Cooper. Ben Stiglets, Will Brand (6), Reed Michel (9) and Jonathan Parker. WP-Michel (2-0). LP-Miller (2-2). Northwest hitters: Ryan Skalnik 2B, 2 1B; Aaron Campbell 2B, 2 1B; Jake McPhail 2 1B; LeeMarcus Boyd 2B; Hunter Wilson 1B; Hunter Bishop 1B. JCJC hitters: Erick Hoard HR, 3B, 1B; Clint Sasser HR, 1B; Dalton Skelton 2 1B; Marcus Hardy HR; Tanner Huddleston 1B; Shelton Wallace 1B; Fred Franklin 1B. LOB: Northwest-11; JCJC-6. T-2:30.