Softball | 4/22/2018 10:58:00 AM
ELLISVILLE – The 5
th-ranked Jones County Junior College Lady Bobcats ended regular season play tied for the top spot in the MACJC.
JCJC completed a sweep of East Mississippi with a 6-1 win in game two here Saturday afternoon at Community Bank Park/Gwen Magee Field. Jones won the opener, 7-2.
The Lady Bobcats are now 41-3 overall and 26-2 in the MACJC – the seventh straight season for a 40-plus win season and the third straight season for Jones to go 26-2 in regular season conference play.
Jones ends the season tied for first place with Itawamba, but ICC will be the top seed heading into postseason play because they swept JCJC during the season.
JCJC will host the No. 7 team in the MACJC in a best-of-3 playoff series on April 27-28. The opponent will not be known until the conclusion of the Hinds/Northwest games on Monday.
If Hinds sweeps Northwest, JCJC will host Mississippi Gulf Coast. If Northwest gets a split or a sweep, JCJC will host Northeast.
Game one will be at 6 p.m. Friday. Game two will be at 1 p.m. Saturday with game three, if necessary, to immediately game two.
East Mississippi ends the year at 17-26, 13-15.
In Saturday's second game,
Emily Robinson (Lafayette) smashed three doubles, while
McKennah Sikes (Van Buren, Arkansas) and
Kelsha Loftin (Mendenhall) homered to lead Jones.
The Lady Lions took a 1-0 lead in the first when Kelsey English singled, was sacrificed by Ashley Vickers and scored on a single by Bryley Rodriguez.
Jones tied it in the bottom of the first when Robinson doubled with two outs and
Callie Venable (Clinton, Louisiana) followed with an RBI single.
The Lady Bobcats took a 3-1 lead in the third when Robinson doubled and Sikes lined a home run over the leftfield wall.
JCJC closed the scoring in the fourth when
Gracie McCleskey (Caledonia) reached on a bunt single,
Simone McKinney (Harrison Central) reach on an error and Loftin followed with a home run to center.
Madison Burge (Harrison Central) went 6.2 innings and got the win. She allowed an unearned run, five hits, walked two and struck out two as she improved to 13-1.
Hallie Donald (Mooreville) got the final out.
Venable, McCleskey and McKinney added singles for the Lady Bobcats.
Rodriguez went six innings and took the loss. She gave up six runs, eight hits, walked one and struck out five.
English singled twice for EMCC, while Rodriguez, Layton Sills and Rebekah Williams added singles.
SOPHOMORE DAY
JCJC players honored during "Sophomore Day" on Saturday were
Karli Perque,
Callie Venable,
Bailey Gilbert,
Taylor Murray,
Emily Robinson,
Sarah Brock,
Kelsha Loftin and
Madison Burge.
This group currently has compiled a 96-7 record over two seasons.
Saturday's game
Ellisville
Community Bank Park/Gwen Magee Field
Game 2
Jones County 6, East Mississippi 1
East Mississippi (17-26, 13-15) 100 000 0 – 1 5 3
Jones County (41-3, 26-2) 102 300 x – 6 8 1
Bryley Rodriguez and Layton Sills.
Madison Burge,
Hallie Donald (7) and
Bailey Gilbert.
WP-Burge (13-1).
LP-Rodriguez.
EMCC hitters: Kelsey English 2 1B; Bryley Rodriguez 1B; Layton Sills 1B; Rebekah Williams 1B.
JCJC hitters: Emily Robinson 3 2B;
Kelsha Loftin HR;
McKennah Sikes HR;
Callie Venable 1B;
Gracie McCleskey 1B;
Simone McKinney 1B.
LOB: EMCC-6; JCJC-5.
T: 1:41.
