ELLISIVLLE –
Rachel Hayes and
Brittany Baty have been two of the premier performers in NJCAA Division II softball throughout the 2016 season.
Those two Jones County Junior College Lady Bobcats continued their stellar play into the postseason here Friday night in the opening round of the MACJC Tournament at a packed Community Bank Park.
Hayes struck out 14 and Baty hit her 18
th home run of the season to lead the No. 5 Lady Bobcats past No. 10 East Central, 5-1.
JCJC, 40-6, will meet No. 3 Mississippi Gulf Coast, 44-3, at 2 p.m. Saturday in a winner's bracket game. MGCCC got a 3-run home run from Izzy Werdann in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally the Lady Bulldogs from a 2-0 deficit to a 3-2 win over No. 7 Itawamba.
Both JCJC and MGCCC have qualified for the Region 23 Tournament, which will be May 5-7 at No. 1 LSU-Eunice.
Itawamba, 39-9, meets East Central, 42-8, at 4 p.m. in a loser's bracket game. The winner of the ICC/ECCC game will qualify for the regional tournament.
Hayes gave up just four hits, but did walk six in the game. She is now 22-1 on the season, which ties her for fifth in the nation in victories. She also has 200 strikeouts in 142 innings, which also ranks her fifth in the nation.
JCJC took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when catcher
Natalie Hogue led off with a walk and was replaced by courtesy runner
Skyler McLain. McLain went to second on a passed ball, to third on a wild pitch and scored on
Autumn Frost's groundout.
The Lady Bobcats scored twice in the third inning.
Cori McCrary reached on an error to start the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, Hogue singled just inside the first base bag to right to score McCrary. Frost then doubled to right to score courtesy runner McLain to give JCJC a 3-0 lead.
Hayes walked the bases loaded in the fourth, but struck out Elizabeth Frey to end the inning.
ECCC got on the board in the fifth.
Andi Hannaford led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Latesia Davis. Caitlyn Aldous followed with an RBI double to score pinch-runner Brantlie Sheets. Hayes then walked Maegen Ellis and Mahalia Gibson to load the bases with one out. But she struck out Brittney McCrary and Katlyn Duke to end the inning.
JCJC added two runs in the fifth when McCrary reached on an infield and scored when Baty homered over the left-center field wall. Baty is now tied for eighth in the nation in home runs.
The Lady Warriors got a couple of hits in the seventh, but Hayes struck out the side to end the game.
McCrary and
Jay Harris each singled twice for Jones, while Baty homered and had two RBIs. Frost doubled and drove in two runs, while Hogue, Hayes and
Ashley Valentine added singles.
Aldous doubled and singled for East Central with Gibson getting a double and Duke having a single.
Lacey Hill, 19-5, went the distance and took the loss. She allowed five runs (three earned), nine hits, walked one and struck out two.
MACJC Tournament
Friday's game
Jones County 5, East Central 1
East Central (42-8) 000 010 0 – 1 4 1
Jones County (40-6) 012 020 x – 5 9 0
Lacy Hill and Brittany McCray.
Rachel Hayes and
Natalie Hogue.
WP-Hayes (22-1).
LP-Hill (19-5).
ECCC hitters: Caitlyn Aldous 2B, 1B; Mahalia Gibson 1B; Katlyn Duke 1B.
JCJC hitters: Cori McCrary 2 1B;
Jay Harris 2 1B;
Brittany Baty HR;
Autumn Frost 2B;
Natalie Hogue 1B;
Rachel Hayes 1B;
Ashley Valentine 1B.
LOB: ECCC-9; JCJC-6.
T-1:43.
MACJC TOURNAMENT
Ellisville
Jones County Junior College
Community Bank Park
Friday's results
Game 1, Mississippi Gulf Coast 3, Itawamba 2
Game 2, Jones County 5, East Central 1
Saturday's games
Game 3, Mississippi Gulf Coast vs. Jones County 2 p.m.
Game 4, Itawamba vs. East Central, 4 p.m.
Game 5, Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 6 p.m.
Sunday's games
Game 6, Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 2 p.m.
Game 7, if necessary, 30 minutes after Game 6
