ELLISVILLE – Pitcher
Rachel Hayes hit a two-run, walk off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift No. 8 Jones County to a 3-1 victory over No. 11 Itawamba here Friday afternoon at Community Bank Park.
Hayes also starred in the circle.
She improved to 16-1 as she limited ICC to three hits and struck out 10. ICC's run was unearned. Hayes now has 142 strikeouts on the season. The University of St. Francis (Illinois) signee is tied for fourth in NJCAA Division II in wins and strikeouts.
JCJC took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when
Kelly Byrd hit a two-out, solo home run to centerfield.
ICC tied it in the fourth when Addie Thompson singled and Bre Harford reached on a two-base error. Thompson then scored on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the seventh,
Autumn Frost led off with a double over the head of the centerfielder. Hayes then hit an 0-2 pitch over the centerfield wall to end it.
Frost doubled and singled for JCJC. Hayes and Byrd homered, while
Kalyn Watts and
Natalie Hogue singled.
Katlin McDuffy, 13-3, went the distance and took the loss. She allowed three earned runs, six hits, walked none and struck out none.
Alex Brown, Thompson and Bre Harford singled for the Lady Indians.
Friday's game
Ellisville
Community Bank Park
Game 1
Jones County 3, Itawamba 1
Itawamba (33-7, 18-5) 000 100 0 – 1 3 0
Jones County (30-6, 19-2) 100 000 2 – 3 6 2
Katlin McDuffy and Mary Kansas Sullivan, Alex Brown (6).
Rachel Hayes and
Ashley Valentine.
WP-Hayes (16-1).
LP-McDuffy (13-3).
ICC hitters: Addie Thompson 1B; Alex Brown 1B; Bre Harford 1B.
JCJC hitters: Autumn Frost 2B, 1B;
Rachel Hayes HR;
Kelly Byrd HR;
Kalyn Watts 1B;
Natalie Hogue 1B.
LOB: ICC-7; JCJC-4.
T-1:41.
