ELLISVILLE – The 5
th-ranked Jones County Junior College Lady Bobcats will be hosting the MACJC Tournament for the second straight season.
The Lady Bobcats swept Pearl River 8-5 here Saturday afternoon at Community Bank Park in Game 2 of their best-of-three series.
Rachel Hayes went the distance and struck out 14 for the Lady Bobcats, while
Brittany Baty,
Autumn Frost and
Kelly Byrd each slugged home runs.
JCJC took the opening game of the series on Friday, 8-0.
JCJC, 39-6, will host the tournament April 29-May 1. The tournament bracket will be announced soon, but the April 29 games will be at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. with the Lady Bobcats playing the second game.
Pearl River ends the year at 24-23.
Pearl River jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when pitcher Amanda Ingram hit a solo home run.
JCJC rebounded quickly in the top of the third when
Kalyn Watts reached on an error and Baty ripped her 17
th home run of the season over the centerfield wall.
The Lady Bobcats added a run in the fourth when Frost hit a home run over the centerfield wall.
JCJC increased the lead to 7-1 in the fifth.
Cori McCrary led off with an infield single and Byrd reached on a fielder's choice. Baty walked and Hogue reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases.
Hayes walked to force in a run and Frost's single scored another. Harris then walked with the bases loaded to score courtesy runner
Skyler McLain and Watts' single scored Hayes.
The Lady Bobcats made it 8-1 in the top of sixth when Byrd hit a line drive home run over the centerfield wall.
Pearl River got a run in the bottom of the sixth.
Branda Northrop led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Mary Grace Key. With two outs, Briana Leonard delivered an RBI single.
The Lady Wildcats made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh.
Ingram led off with a single and pinch-hitter Skylar Cook reached on a fielder's choice. Alyssa Croncich then launched a home run over the leftfield wall.
Hayes then retired the final three batters in a row to end the contest.
Hayes, 21-1, allowed five hits and walked one in posting the win. She was also the winning pitcher on Friday.
Frost homered and singled twice, while Valentine had two singles. Byrd and Baty homered, Hogue doubled and Watts and McCrary added singles.
Ingram homered and singled for PRCC, while Croncich also homered. Leonard had two singles.
Ingram started and took the loss. She went 4 1/3 innings, allowed seven runs (five earned), six hits, walked four and struck out three. Madison Scoggin pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, allowed one run, four hits and walked two.
Saturday's game
Ellisville
Community Bank Park
MACJC Best-of-3 playoffs
Jones County 8, Pearl River 5
Jones County (39-6) 002 141 0 – 8 10 1
Pearl River (24-23) 010 001 3 – 5 5 1
Amanda Ingram, Madison Scoggin (5) and Briana Leonard.
Rachel Hayes and
Natalie Hogue.
WP-Hayes (21-1).
LP-Ingram (9-11).
PRCC hitters: Amanda Ingram HR, 1B; Briana Leonard 2 1B; Alyssa Croncich HR
. JCJC hitters: Autumn Frost 2 1B, HR;
Ashley Valentine 2 1B;
Kelly Byrd HR;
Brittany Baty HR;
Natalie Hogue 2B;
Kalyn Watts 1B;
Cori McCrary 1B.
LOB: PRCC-3; JCJC-8.
T-2:16.
