ELLISVILLE – Jones County rallied from a 4-0 deficit and defeated Arkansas Baptist 8-6 in game one of a doubleheader here Sunday afternoon at Community Bank Park.
The victory keeps the Bobcats unbeaten at 17-0, while the Buffaloes fall to 4-12.
JCJC fell behind 2-0 in the first when Derek St. Clair led off with a double, Kedric Bailey walked and Landen Colson drove them in with a double.
The Buffaloes made it 4-0 in the second when Troy White singled, Issac Simmons reached on an error and Ryan Mallison drove them in with a double.
The Bobcats began to rally in the bottom of the second when Erick Hoard walked, John Alan Wall doubled and Jonathan Parker's sacrifice fly to right scored Hoard.
JCJC tied it in the third with a two-out rally.
Shelton Wallace was hit by a pitch, Mason Irby doubled him home and Tanner Huddleston hit his second home run of the year over the leftfield wall.
JCJC took an 8-4 led in the fourth inning.
Parker hit his first home run of the year – a one-out solo shot – to give the Bobcats a 5-4 lead. Dalton Skelton doubled and Fred Franklin singled him in and advanced to second when the throw home was wild. Franklin went to third on a wild pitch.
Clint Sasser walked and then stole second. The throw sailed into centerfield on Sasser's steal and Franklin scored. Sasser went to third on the play and scored on Wallace's sacrifice fly to right.
The Buffaloes tightened things up in the sixth with a two-out rally of their own.
Simmons singled, St. Clair reached on an error and Mallison reached on an infield single to load the bases. Bailey and Tomas Gonzalez drew back-to-back walks to force in a pair of runs
Tristan Labove then entered in relief and got a force out to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Franklin Pena was hit by a pitch to start the inning. But Labove got a strikeout, flyout and strikeout to end the game.
Starter Mason Strickland posted the win to go to 2-0 on the year. He went four innings, allowed four runs (two earned), four hits, walked two and struck out five. Labove went the final 1 1/3 innings and notched his first save of the year. He gave up no hits and fanned two. Zach Taylor pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowed two unearned runs, three hits, walked two and struck out one.
Huddleston and Parker homered for JCJC, while Skelton, Irby and Wall doubled. Franklin and Sasser singled for the Bobcats.
Colson doubled twice for the Buffaloes, while Mallison doubled and singled. St. Clair added a double, while Santana and White added singles.
Nathan Sawrie started, went 3 1/3 innings and took the loss. He gave up five earned runs, four hits, walked two and struck out one. Clayton Douglas pitched to three batters and did not retire any. He gave up three runs (one earned), two hits and walked one. Cody Holmes pitched 2 2/3 innings, gave up a hit and walked two.

 
Sunday's game
Ellisville                                                                       
Community Bank Park
Game 1
Jones County 8, Arkansas Baptist 6
Arkansas Baptist (4-12)    220 002 0 – 6 7 1
Jones County (17-0)          013 400 x – 8 7 1
Nathan Sawrie, Clayton Douglas (4), Cody Holmes (4) and Logan Kercheval. Mason Strickland, Zach Taylor (5), Tristan Labove (6) and Jonathan Parker. WP-Strickland (2-0). LP-Sawrie (0-4). ABC hitters: Landen Colson 2 2B; Ryan Mallison 2B, 1B; Derek St. Clair 2B; Troy White 1B; Jose Santana 1B. JCJC hitters: Tanner Huddleston HR; Jonathan Parker HR; Dalton Skelton 2B; Mason Irby 2B; John Alan Wall 2B; Fred Franklin 1B; Clint Sasser 1B. LOB: ABC-9; JCJC-5. T-2:02.