ELLISVILLE –The early season magic continues for the Jones County Junior College baseball team.
JCJC scored two runs without the aid of a base hit in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Arkansas Baptist College 5-4 in game two of a doubleheader here Saturday afternoon at Community Bank Park.
The victory improves JCJC to 16-0 on the season.
The two teams will play another doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Community Bank Park. The games will air on www.jcjc.tv.
The Bobcats will open MACJC play with a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Meridian on March 12. Arkansas Baptist, 4-11, hosts Mississippi Delta on Wednesday.
JCJC trailed 4-1 entering the bottom of the sixth.
With two outs, Mason Irby hit his seventh home run over the rightfield wall to make it 4-2. That ties him for the NJCAA Division II home run lead.
Tanner Huddleston then hit a deep fly ball to right that was dropped for a two-base error. After Erick Hoard walked, Jonathan Parker singled to right to score Huddleston.
In the bottom of the seventh, Dalton Skelton and Fred Franklin drew walks to start the inning.
Clint Sasser then bunted the ball. Pitcher Derek St. Clair fielded it, but threw wide of first base and all runners were safe with no outs.
After a strikeout, Irby drew a walk to force in the tying run.
Huddleston followed with a hot shot to Tomas Gonzalez at third base. Gonzalez threw home to catcher Landen Colson. Franklin slid hard into home plate, Colson could not hold on to the ball, the run scored and the Bobcats won.
Arkansas Baptist threatened to take an early lead when they loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning on a walk, double and a walk off of JCJC starter Logan Robbins.
But Robbins got a foul out to Skelton for the first out. Sean Votaw then hit a hard grounder to Huddleston, who stepped on third base and threw to first to complete the double play.
The Bobcats went up 1-0 when Hoard hit his second home run of the day and his fifth of the season in the second inning.
The Buffaloes answered with two runs in the third.
Bailey singled, stole second and scored on Mallison's single. Gonzalez followed with a single and Mallison later scored on a passed ball.
Arkansas Baptist went up 3-1 in the fourth when St. Clair doubled with one out and scored on Mallison's sacrifice fly to right.
The Buffaloes added a run in the sixth when St. Clair got a one-out single, stole second and scored on Mallison's single to left.
T.J. Hollis, 1-0, posted the victory. He went the final two innings, allowed one run, two hits and struck out two.
Robbins went the first three innings, gave up two runs, five hits, walked four and struck out two.
Anthony Williams pitched two innings of middle relief for the Bobcats. He allowed one run, four hits and struck out two.
Irby homered and singled, while Hoard homered and Parker and Chris Richardson each singled twice for the Bobcats.
Mallison doubled and singled twice for the Buffaloes, while St. Clair doubled and singled and Bailey singled twice. Gonzales, Colson, Votaw and White added singles.
Ashton Holyfield went the first 5 2/3 innings for the Buffaloes. He gave up three runs (two earned), seven hits, walked one and struck out three.
St. Clair took the loss. He pitched 2/3 of an inning, allowed two earned runs, no hits, walked three and struck out one.
 
 
Saturday's game
Ellisville
Community Bank Park
Game 2
Jones County 5, Arkansas Baptist 4
Arkansas Baptist (4-11)    002 101 0 – 4 11 2
Jones County (16-0)          010 002 2 – 5 7 0
Ashton Holyfield, Derek St. Clair (6) and Landen Colson. Logan Robbins, Anthony Williams (4), T.J. Hollis (6) and Jonathan Parker. WP-Hollis (1-0). LP-St. Clair. ABC hitters: Ryan Mallison 2B, 2 1B; Derek St. Clair 2B, 1B; Kedric Bailey 2 1B; Tomas Gonzalez 1B; Landen Colson 1B; Sean Votaw 1B; Troy White 1B. JCJC hitters: Mason Irby HR, 1B; Erick Hoard HR; Jonathan Parker 2 1B; Chris Richardson 2 1B. LOB: ABC-8; JCJC-6. T-1:58.