EUNICE, Louisiana – The No. 5 Jones County Junior College Lady Bobcats are on a roll.
JCJC captured its first-ever Region 23 Tournament championship with a 5-2 victory over top-ranked LSU-Eunice here Sunday afternoon at Bengal Park. It was the second win in two days for JCJC over the top-ranked Bengals.
The Lady Bobcats, 45-6, won its 18
th straight game and will now head to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament May 18-21 at Traceway Park in Clinton.
LSU-Eunice, 53-7, will also advance to the national tournament. The tournament bracket will be released next week.
Workhorse pitcher
Rachel Hayes (Ocean Springs) was outstanding once again for JCJC.
Hayes pitched a complete-game victory in all eight of JCJC's postseason contests.
On Sunday, she did not allow a hit against the Bengals until a leadoff single in the sixth inning.
For the game, Hayes allowed two runs, three hits, walked one and struck out three as she improved to 27-1.
Kalyn Watts (Oak Grove) set the tone immediately for the Lady Bobcats when she homered to lead off the bottom of the first inning.
One out later,
Kelly Byrd (Copiah Academy) singled and
Brittany Baty (Northeast Lauderdale) followed with an RBI double.
JCJC made it 3-0 in the second inning when
Ashley Valentine (Stringer) hit a solo home run.
The Lady Bobcats took a 5-0 lead in the fifth inning.
Cori McCrary (Carroll Academy) led off with a walk and one out later, Baty was hit by a pitch. A passed ball advanced the runners and
Natalie Hogue's (Harrison Central) single drove them both home.
LSU-Eunice got on the board in the sixth when Madison Edmonston led off with a single and Rebecca Skains followed with a two-run home run. Alli Daigle then hit a one-out double, but Hayes recorded a pair of fly outs to end the inning.
Hayes retired LSU-Eunice in order in the seventh.
Watts homered and singled for JCJC, while Valentine homered and Baty doubled. Byrd, Hogue and
Autumn Frost (East Webster) had singles.
Starter Elizabeth Fontenot pitched 1/3 of an inning and took the loss. She gave up two runs and three hits. Hannah Vidallier pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowed one run, three hits and a walk. Cates pitched two innings, allowed two runs (one earned), one hit, walked one and struck out two. Jordan Dougherty pitched an inning and struck out one.
