Softball | 5/18/2017 11:29:00 PM
CLINTON – Johnson County Community College (Kansas) knocked off No. 1 Jones County 10-7 here Wednesday afternoon in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.
The Lady Cavaliers outhit Jones 13-6 and had three home runs compared to none for the Lady Bobcats as they became one of four unbeaten teams remaining in the tournament.
JCJC took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Kelsha Loftin (Mendenhall), who had three of JCJC's six hits in the game, doubled to right and scored when
Autumn Frost (East Webster) reached on an error.
Johnson County took a 2-1 lead in the second when Lonnie Groves and Shay Tolbert hit back-to-back home runs.
The Lady Bobcats regained the lead in the bottom of the second.
Emily Robinson (Lafayette) led off with a walk and scored when
Natalie Hogue (Harrison Central) doubled to left. Hogue was sacrificed to third by
Taylor Murray (Parklane Academy) and scored on an illegal pitch.
The Lady Cavaliers would take the lead for good with a four-run, third inning.
Hailee Still led off with a single. After a pop up and a strikeout, Sammi Bates homered to left to make it 4-3. After Taylor Kirk drew a walk, Courtney Nemechek and Groves singled to load the bases. Tolbert followed with a two-run single to right.
Loftin led off the bottom of the third with a home run to center to cut the lead to 6-4.
The Lady Cavaliers made it 7-4 in the top of the fourth when Tamara Hicks reached on an infield hit, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Bates.
Jones came right back in the bottom of the inning.
Hogue walked and went to third when
Cori McCrary (Carroll Academy) reached on an error. Loftin walked with two outs to load the bases and then Hogue scored on a wild pitch.
Johnson County rebounded in the fifth. Nemechek reached on an error and Groves singled. Nemechek would score on Madison Wegner's groundout to make it 8-5.
The Lady Bobcats pulled within 8-7 in the bottom of the sixth.
Murray singled, McCrary reached on a fielder's choice and pinchhitter
Bailey Gilbert (Sylva-Bay Academy) drew a walk to load the bases. Loftin's infield single scored a run and
Kelly Byrd's (Copiah Academy) sacrifice fly to right scored McCrary.
The Lady Cavaliers picked up two insurance runs in the top of the seventh.
Nemechek reached on an error and Groves singled. Tolbert followed with an RBI double and Wegner got a run-scoring single.
In the bottom of the seventh with one out, Robinson drew a walk and Hogue singled. But two pop ups ended the game.
Loftin homered, doubled and singled for JCJC, while Hogue doubled and singled and Murray singled.
Starter
Madison Burge (Harrison Central) took the loss to fall to 11-1. She went 2 2/3 innings, allowed six runs, five hits, walked one and struck out three.
Amanda Holliday (Watson, Louisiana) went the final 4 1/3 innings, allowed four runs (two earned), eight hits, walked none and struck out two.
Groves homered and singled three times for the Lady Cavaliers. Tolbert homered, doubled and singled. Bates homered and singled, while Hicks, Nemechek, Wegner and Still added singles.
Megan Dieter went the distance and got the win. She allowed seven runs (five earned), six hits, walked five and struck out three.
Johnson County is 35-5 on the year.
