Softball | 5/6/2017 10:57:00 PM
ELLISVILLE – Top-rated Jones County Junior College is on the verge of its fifth MACJC championship in six years.
The Lady Bobcats defeated No. 7 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community 10-2 in six innings here on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon at Community Bank Park.
JCJC, 46-2, will face MGCCC again at 1 p.m. Sunday in the title game. The game will air on
www.jcjc.tv. MGCCC must beat JCJC twice on Sunday.
MGCCC defeated No. 6 Itawamba 3-2 in eight innings in the late game Saturday to knock ICC out of the tournament. Earlier, ICC ended No. 8 East Central's season with a 4-2 decision.
JCJC, MGCCC and ICC, along with LSU-Eunice, will compete in the Region 23 Tournament May 11-13 at the site of the state tournament winner.
JCJC took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when
Emily Robinson (Lafayette) doubled to right-center and scored on a single by
Taylor Murray (Parklane Academy).
MGCCC tied it in the bottom of the second when Izzy Werdann led off with a home run over the centerfield wall.
JCJC took a 3-1 lead in the third when
Cori McCrary (Carroll Academy) struck out, but reached base when the ball went past the catcher.
Kelly Byrd's (Copiah Academy) double scored McCrary and Byrd scored from third on an illegal pitch.
In the fourth, Murray walked, McCrary singled and
Callie Venable's (Clinton, Louisiana) pinch-hit single scored Murray.
Byrd led off the fifth with her 17
th home run of the season.
Brittany Baty (Northeast Lauderdale) doubled and Robinson reached on an error.
Natalie Hogue (Harrison Central) followed with a two-run double.
MGCCC got a run in the bottom of the fifth when Aidan Nichols walked and Brittney Triplett and Paige Dill singled to load the bases. Lexie Mathis' sacrifice fly to left scored Nichols.
Madison Burge (Harrison Central) pitched the final four innings and got the win. She allowed one run, three hits, walked one and struck out one as she improved to 10-0. Starter
Haylee Morse (Madison Central) went two innings, allowed one run, three hits and struck out two.
Byrd homered, doubled and singled, while Baty doubled and singled twice and McCrary had two singles. Frost homered, Robinson and Hogue both doubled and Murray and Venable added singles.
Nichols, the starter, pitched 4 2/3 innings and took the loss. She gave up seven runs (six earned), 10 hits, walked two and struck out five. Norah Keehn went the final 1 1/3 innings and allowed three runs (two earned).
Werdann homered and Kristen Sexton singled twice for the Bulldogs. Triplett, Dill and Nichols added singles.
MACJC Tournament
Saturday's game
Jones County 10, Miss. Gulf Coast 2
Jones County (46-2) 012 133 – 10 13 1
Miss. Gulf Coast (38-11) 010 010 – 2 6 2
Haylee Morse,
Madison Burge (3) and
Natalie Hogue. Aidan Nichols, Nora Keehn (5) and Izzy Werdann.
WP-Burge (10-0).
LP-Nichols.
JCJC hitters: Kelly Byrd HR, 2B, 1B;
Brittany Baty 2B, 2 1B;
Cori McCrary 2 1B;
Autumn Frost HR;
Emily Robinson 2B;
Natalie Hogue 2B;
Taylor Murray 1B;
Callie Venable 1B.
MGCCC hitters: Izzy Werdann HR; Kristin Sexton 2 1B; Brittney Triplett 1B; Paige Dill 1B; Aidan Nichols 1B. L
OB: JCJC-6; MGCCC-6.
T-1:46.
MACJC Tournament
Ellisville
Community Bank Park
Friday's results
Game 1, Mississippi Gulf Coast 7, Itawamba 6
Game 2, Jones County 9, East Central 0 (5 innings)
Saturday's results
Game 3, Jones County 10, Mississippi Gulf Coast 2 (6 innings)
Game 4, Itawamba 4, East Central 2
Game 5, Mississippi Gulf Coast 3, Itawamba 2 (8 innings)
Sunday's games
Game 6, Jones County vs. Mississippi Gulf Coast, 1 p.m.
Game 7, if necessary, 30 minutes after Game 6
