CLINTON – Jordan Hartman hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift LSU-Eunice to a 4-2 win over Jones County in a battle of the final two unbeaten teams in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament here Friday afternoon.
The Lady Bobcats will now have to win three games on Saturday at Traceway Park in order to claim the title.
JCJC, 48-7, will meet defending national champion Kankakee Community College (Illinois) at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. The winner of that game must defeat LSU-Eunice twice in order to win the national championship.
All games on Saturday will be webcast on
www.njcaatv.com.
It was a typical, tight tense game between these Region 23 powers.
The Lady Bobcats took a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
Autumn Frost hit a drive to the outfield that got past the rightfielder for a triple.
Rachel Hayes then singled to center to make it 1-0.
It remained that way until the top of the fifth when JCJC's
Ashley Valentine homered to center to give the Lady Bobcats a 2-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Hayes limited LSU-Eunice to two hits and no runs heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
But with one out in the sixth, Rebecca Skains hit a solo home run to get the Bengals on the board. Bobbi Smith followed with another solo shot and suddenly the game was tied 2-2 entering the seventh.
JCJC threatened with two outs in the top of the seventh when
Brittany Hagwood singled and
Kalyn Watts walked. But
Cori McCrary grounded out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Jeannemarie Angelle led off with a single. Jessica Thomas then bunted to try and sacrifice her to second base. The throw to first hit Thomas and Angelle took third on the play.
But the umpires ruled interference on Thomas for running inside the baseline and called her out. They also sent Angelle back to first base.
LSU-Eunice head coach Andy Lee argued the call and was ejected from the game.
After a delay of a few moments, play resumed.
Hartman hit the first pitch thrown after the delay out of the park and the Bengals won the game.
Hayes, 30-2, pitched 6 1/3 innings and took the loss. She allowed four earned runs, six hits, walked none and struck out four.
Kelly Byrd and
Brittany Hagwood each singled twice for the Bobcats. Valentine homered, Frost tripled and
Brittany Baty and Hayes added singles.
Abigail Leonards went the distance and got the victory. She allowed two earned runs, eight hits, walked one and struck out two.
Skains homered, doubled and singled for LSU-Eunice, while Hartman and Smith homered. Angelle added a single.
NJCAA Division II National Tournament
Clinton
Traceway Park
Friday's game
LSU-Eunice 4, Jones County 2
Jones County (48-7) 010 0100 – 2 8 0
LSU-Eunice (57-7) 000 0022 – 4 6 0
Rachel Hayes and
Natalie Hogue. Abigail Leonards and Jessica Thomas. WP-Leonards.
LP-Hayes (30-2).
JCJC hitters: Kelly Byrd 2 1B;
Brittany Hagwood 2 1B;
Ashley Valentine HR;
Autumn Frost 3B;
Brittany Baty 1B;
Rachel Hayes 1B
. LSUE hitters: Rebecca Skains HR, 2B, 1B; Jordan Hartman HR; Bobbi Smith HR; Jeannemarie Angelle 1B.
LOB: JCJC-7; LSUE-3.
T-1:20.
NJCAA Division II National Tournament
Clinton
Traceway Park
Wednesday's results
Game 1, Phoenix (AZ) 10, Potomac St. (WV) 2
Game 2, Labette (KS) 2, Illinois Central 1
Game 3, Des Moines Area (IA) 9, Florence-Darlington Tech (SC) 0
Game 4, LSU-Eunice 16, Mott (MI) 0
Game 5, Jones County 15, Heartland (IL) 0
Game 6, Kankakee (IL) 8, Mercyhurst North East (PA) 5
Game 7, Highland (KS) 4, Lansing (MI) 0
Game 8, Kirkwood (IA) 8, Illinois Valley 7
Thursday's results
Game 9, Illinois Central 4, Potomac State 0
Game 10, Mott 10, Florence-Darlington Tech 2
Game 11, Mercyhurst North East 9, Heartland 6
Game 12, Lansing 11, Illinois Valley 3
Game 13, Labette 6, Phoenix 3
Game 14, LSU-Eunice 10, Des Moines Area 1
Game 15, Jones County 12, Kankakee 4
Game 16, Kirkwood 6, Highland 0
Game 17, Phoenix 4, Lansing 3
Game 18, Des Moines Area 9, Mercyhurst North East 0
Game 19, Kankakee 10, Mott 1
Game 20, Illinois Central 11, Highland 6
Friday's results
Game 21, LSU-Eunice 3, Labette 2 (9 innings)
Game 22, Jones County 7, Kirkwood 6
Game 23, Kankakee 6, Illinois Central 3
Game 24, Phoenix 9, Des Moines Area 1
Game 25, Kankakee 8, Labette 4
Game 26, Phoenix 5, Kirkwood 2
Game 27, LSU-Eunice 4, JCJC 2
Game 28, Kankakee 9, Phoenix 6
Saturday's games
Game 29, Kankakeee vs. JCJC, 11:30 a.m.
Game 30, LSU-Eunice vs. Winner G29, 1:30 p.m.
Game 31, Winner G30 vs. Loser G30, if necessary, 3:30 p.m.
