EUNICE, La. –
Lauren Lindsey's bases-loaded, two-out RBI-single down the right field line scored
Kristian Edwards as No. 2 Jones walked off No. 5 Itawamba, 2-1, in nine innings on Friday afternoon to advance to the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament Semifinals.
Winners in 19 straight games, Jones will take on Copiah-Lincoln at 3 p.m. Saturday with a trip to the region championship game and automatic berth into the NJCAA Division II World Series at stake.
The two teams split their regular season matchup back on April 6 in Wesson.
Lauren Pope's solo home run halfway up the flag pole in left-center gave Jones a 1-0 lead in the second.
Nia Luckett and the Bobcats were able to strand five Indians through the first three innings to keep it a one-run game.
Itawamba capitalized off a leadoff error at first to put the tying run on base in the fifth. Three batters later, Ivy Watts singled to right with two outs to tie the game at 1-1.
The Indians caught a big break in the bottom of the seventh on a base running mistake by Jones to force extras.
Tia'Rain Saunders tried to go first to third on a ball hit to left, but was thrown out trying to advance.
Into extra innings, Jones loaded the bases in the eighth before Emily Robinson got a strikeout to send us to the ninth.
It was déjà vu for the Bobcats in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases again with two outs.
ICC intentionally walked the bases loaded after a leadoff single by Saunders and sac bunt by
Kat Wallace. The Indians got a force out at the plate for the second out before Lindsey stepped up with a chance to win it.
Lindsey poked an 0-1 pitch down the line in right just outside the reach of a diving Connor Stevens to score Edwards to walk it off.
Both teams finished with six hits apiece.
Luckett improved to 15-4 with her 11th straight win. She scattered six hits, seven strikeouts, one walk and no earned runs in 9.0 innings.
After being swept in a doubleheader in Fulton to start conference play, Jones defeated Itawamba three times over the last week to end the Indians' season.
