DECATUR – The 3rd-ranked Jones County Junior College Bobcats overcame an early 8-0 deficit and beat top-ranked LSU-Eunice 13-9 in an elimination game of the Region 23 Tournament here Saturday afternoon at the Clark/Gay Baseball Complex.
It was JCJC's second win over the Bengals this weekend and knocked the defending national champions out of the tournament.
John Alan Wall slugged a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, and
Tyler Spring was outstanding out of the bullpen as the Bobcats rallied to beat the Bengals.
With the win, JCJC set a school record for wins in a season with 47. JCJC is now 47-8, while LSU-Eunice ends the year at 51-6.
LSU-Eunice scored four runs in each of the first two innings and appeared to be in control.
But JCJC turned the game around with a six-run, third inning.
With one out,
Fred Franklin reached on an error and
Clint Sasser drew a walk.
Shelton Wallace followed with a double to score Franklin and
Mason Irby's sacrifice fly scored Sasser.
Tanner Huddleston was hit by a pitch and
Erick Hoard walked to load the bases.
Wall then stepped up and homered over the leftfield wall to make it 8-6.
The Bengals scored a run in the top of the third to take a 9-6 lead,
The Bobcats then put together another six-run inning in the fifth.
Huddleston led off with a walk and Hoard doubled him home. With one out,
Jonathan Parker singled to right and
Dalton Skelton was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Franklin drew a walk to score Hoard and Sasser was hit by a pitch to score Parker and tie the game at 9-9. Skelton then scored on a passed ball to put the Bobcats up, 10-9.
Huddleston's single scored Franklin and Sasser scored on a wild pitch to make it 12-9.
Wall then capped the day by leading off the sixth with a solo home run to right.
Spring, 2-3, shut the Bengals down after entering the game in the second inning. He tossed the final 7 2/3 innings, allowed one run (unearned), six hits, walked four and struck out two.
Starter
Calder Mikell went 1 1/3 innings, allowed eight runs (seven earned), five hits, walked three and struck out two.
Wall had five RBIs, while Parker had two singles. Wallace and Hoard each doubled. Irby and Huddleston added singles.
The Bengals got two singles each from Zach LaFleur, Hunter Feduccia, Michael Claverie and Mark Fontenot Jr., while Will Watson, Nick Coomes and Turner Francis each had a single.
Braxton Smith, the third of five LSU-Eunice pitchers, took the loss.
