GALVESTON, Texas – Jones kicked off the 2022 softball season this past weekend against four quality NJCAA Division I opponents and came away with a split during the two-day Island Invitational in southeast Texas.
The Bobcats opened with a 9-4 loss at No. 8 San Jac-South on Saturday morning and rallied for an 11-10, walk-off win in eight innings to beat Blinn College that afternoon. On Sunday, Jones fell 16-8 to No. 17 McLennan and closed the trip with a tough, 10-7 win over Galveston.
San Jac-South 9, Jones 4
The Coyotes scored six runs over the final two innings to pull away from what was a 4-3 Bobcat lead in the fifth.
Nia Luckett allowed three runs on two hits with six strikeouts in a no-decision.
Iris Farve led JC at the plate with a pair of hits, including an RBI-double.
Holly Craft took the loss in her Bobcat debut in the circle, allowing six runs (two earned) in two innings.
Jones 11, Blinn 10 (8 inn.)
Tied 9-9 through seven innings, Luckett hit a walk-off, two-run homer to lift Jones to an 11-10 win in the afternoon game and got the win in the circle also.
Lindsay Henson scattered nine runs on 10 hits in her first action in 5.1 innings.
Jones had a dozen hits in the victory, three from Luckett and three from Farve.
Skylar McLellan, who started in left, awas 2-for-4 with three runs scored.
McLennan 16, Jones 8
One untimely pitch helped McLennan rally for a grand slam and eight runs – all with two outs – in the fifth inning to break open what was a 3-1 ballgame.
Jones didn't go away quietly, however, scoring seven runs over the final three innings after trailing 11-1.
Craft hit a three-run homer and
Gabby Hoffman and
Karagan Howard had two hits each.
Jones 10, Galveston 7
The Bobcats jumped on top of the Whitecaps early and led 7-2 after two, but had to hold on down the stretch.
Luckett, Craft and
Carly Lewis all went yard in the win.
Jones was aided by four Galveston errors.
Hanna Zeitz started and went 3.2 innings and was credited with the decision. Henson picked up her first save in relief in 3.1 frames.
Jones returns to action Feb. 18-19 at the Sun Chief Classic in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
