CLINTON – Jones County Junior College was three outs from elimination vs. defending national champion Kankakee Community College (Illinois).
But trailing 3-1 going into the top of the seventh inning, the Lady Bobcats sent 12 batters to the plate and scored eight runs to take a 9-3 lead. They held on in the bottom of the seventh for a 9-6 victory and advanced to the championship round of the NJCAA Division II National Tournament here at Traceway Park.
Autumn Frost started the seventh by walking on four pitches and
Ashley Valentine singled.
Brittany Hagwood then reached on a bunt single to load the bases with no outs.
Jay Harris walked to drive in Frost.
Kalyn Watts followed with a two-run single to put JCJC up 4-3. After
Cori McCrary sacrificed, Harris scored on a wild pitch.
Kelly Byrd's fielder's choice bunt scored Watts and made it 6-3.
After
Brittany Baty walked, Hogue reached on an error to load the bases. Frost's groundout scored pinch-runner
Jessie Bumpous. Valentine then reached on an error which scored two more runs.
In the bottom of the seventh, Brittany Hay and Kyleigh Payne singled. Lindsey Snyder followed with an RBI single. With two outs, Ashley Aderman hit a two-run single. But
Amanda Holliday got a groundout to end the game.
The game was scoreless until the top of the sixth.
Harris reached on a bunt single and stole second. She scored on Byrd's double to right.
The Cavaliers plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Hay led off with a walk and Payne followed with a two-run home run to left. Snyder drew a walk and was sacrificed to second by Beth Mersinger. Aderman's fielder's choice scored pinch-runner Kiley Zajdzinski to make it 3-1.
Holliday, 14-4, pitched the final two innings and got the win. She allowed three earned runs, four hits, walked one and struck out one. Starter
Haylee Morse went five innings, allowed three earned runs, six hits, walked three and struck out two.
Byrd doubled and singled, while Watts, Baty, Valentine, Hagwood and Harris added singles.
Payne homered and singled for the Cavaliers, while Aderman doubled and singled. Kalyn Learnard singled twice, while Bailee Porter, Hay, Snyder and Zemaitis added singles.
Baylie Ullmark went 6 1/3 innings and took the loss. She allowed six earned runs, seven hits, walked three and struck out four. Kaylee Carlen pitched 2/3 of an inning, allowed three runs (none earned), no hits and walked one.
JCJC improved to 49-7, while Kankakee ended the year at 54-10.
NJCAA Division II National Tournament
Clinton
Traceway Park
Saturday's game
Jones County 9, Kankakee (Illinois) 6
Jones County (49-7) 000 001 8 – 9 7 0
Kankakee (54-10) 000 003 3 – 6 10 3
Haylee Morse,
Amanda Holliday (6) and
Natalie Hogue. Baylie Ullmark, Kaylee Carlen (7).
WP-Holliday (14-4).
LP-Ullmark.
JCJC hitters: Kelly Byrd 2B, 1B;
Kalyn Watts 1B;
Brittany Baty 1B;
Ashley Valentine 1B;
Brittany Hagwood 1B;
Jay Harris 1B.
KCC hitters: Kyleigh Payne HR, 1B; Ashley Aderman 2B, 1B; Kalyn Learnard 2 1B; Bailee Porter 1B; Brittany Hay 1B; Lindsey Snyder 1B; Jessica Zemaitis 1B.
LOB: JCJC-5; KCC-8.
T-2:02.
