Softball | 5/18/2018 11:07:00 PM
CLINTON – It was another epic Jones County vs. LSU Eunice battle.
The Lady Bobcats got a thrilling, 8-7 walk-off victory Friday in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament at Traceway Park.
The win was the 19th in a row for JCJC and moved the Lady Bobcats, 52-3, into a game vs. Phoenix College (Arizona) later Friday in a battle of the only two unbeaten teams in the tournament.
The Lady Bobcats were up 7-4 entering the top of the seventh inning.
With two outs, Mima Doucet hit her second home run of the game to make it 7-5. Madison Monson followed with a single and Emily Henderson homered to centerfield and suddenly the game was tied 7-7.
But in the bottom of the seventh,
Faith Denton (Northwest Rankin) reached on an error to start the inning and was replaced by pinch-runner
Sarah Brock (North Pike). With one out,
Simone McKinney (Harrison Central) reached on an infield single. With two outs,
Taylor Murray (Parklane Academy) came through with a sharp single to left to drive in Brock with the winning run.
JCJC never trailed in the game.
McKennah Sikes (Van Buren, Arkansas) hit a solo home run in the second inning and
Emily Robinson (Lafayette) hit one in the third to give Jones a 2-0 lead.
LSUE tied it in the fourth when Henderson walked, Ally Howard doubled and both runners would score on a throwing error.
JCJC regained the lead quickly in the bottom of the third when
Hallie Donald (Mooreville) lined a home run to centerfield to make it 3-2.
Sikes and Denton drew walks and were replaced by pinch-runners
Natilyn Hasty (Germantown) and
Breanna Hasty (Germantown).
Gracie McCleskey's (Caledonia) hard ground ball scored Natilyn to make it 4-2.
Mia Doucet homered for the Bengals in the fifth to cut the lead to 4-3.
In the bottom of the fifth Robinson singled,
Callie Venable (Clinton, Louisiana) reached on an error and Sikes reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases with one out. Denton then hit a drive down the leftfield line for a two-run double to give the Lady Bobcats a 6-3 lead.
LSUE cut the lead to 6-4 in the sixth when Howard walked, Haley Godeaux singled and Darian Doucet followed with an RBI single.
The Lady Bobcats got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Murray tripled to left and Robinson drove her in with a single.
Robinson homered and singled twice, while Murray tripled and singled twice. Denton had two doubles with Sikes and Donald getting home runs. McKinney added a single.
Karli Perque (Westwego, Louisiana) started, went the first 3.1 innings and was replaced by Donald, who pitched 3.1 innings. Perque then came back into the game and got the final out and was credited with the win, moving her record to 23-2. She allowed three runs, five hits, walked one and struck out five. Donald allowed four runs, five hits, walked one and struck out two.
Mima Doucet homered twice and singled for LSUE, while Monson and Godeaux each singled twice. Henderson homered, Howard doubled and Darian Doucet singled.
Heather Zumo went 3.1 innings, allowed four runs (three earned), six hits, walked one and struck out three. Jeanne Trahan pitched 2.0 innings, allowed three runs (two earned), four hits and walked two. Kaleigh Crutchfield pitched 1.1 innings and was charged with the loss. She allowed one run (unearned), one hit and struck out one.
LSUE fell to 48-19 with the loss.
Friday's game
Jones County 8, LSU Eunice 7
LSU Eunice (48-19) 000 211 3 – 7 10 5
Jones County (52-3) 011 221 1 – 8 11 1
Heather Zumo, Jeanne Trahan (4), Kaeleigh Crutchfield (5), Zumo (7) and Haley Godeaux.
Karli Perque,
Hallie Donald (4), Perque (7) and
Faith Denton.
WP-Perque (23-2).
LP-Crutchfield (4-2).
LSUE hitters: Mima Doucet 2 HR, 1B; Madison Monson 2 1B; Haley Godeaux 2 1B; Emily Henderson HR; Ally Howard 2B; Darian Doucet 1B.
JCJC hitters:
Emily Robinson HR, 2 1B;
Taylor Murray 3B, 2 1B;
Faith Denton 2 2B;
Hallie Donald HR;
McKennah Sikes HR;
Simone McKinney 1B.
LOB:LSUE-3; JCJC-8.
T:2:19.
