POPLARVILLE – Jones College had several chances vs. East Mississippi in the first round of the Region 23 Tournament.
But the Bobcats left a season-high 13 runners on base and allowed four home runs in dropping an 8-4 decision to the Lions here Monday evening at Dub Herring Park on the campus of Pearl River Community College. The Bobcats also outhit the Lions, 11-8.
Jones (31-16) now meets Northwest at noon Tuesday in an elimination game. The Rangers dropped an 18-8, five inning decision to top-ranked Pearl River. No. 16 Hinds edged No. 4 LSU Eunice 4-3 in Monday's other first round game.
In other Tuesday games, Pearl River meets Hinds at 3:30 p.m. and East Mississippi faces LSU Eunice at 7 p.m.
The Bobcats took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when
Murray Hutchinson (Madison Central) and
Tyler Ducksworth (South Jones) singled and
Colson Harris (West Jones) followed with an RBI single.
EMCC's Wesley Sides hit a solo home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-1.
Jones went ahead 2-1 in the fourth when
Drew Williamson (Vancleave) led off with a triple off the right field wall and
Billy Garrity (Sumrall) drove him in with a ground out.
The Lions took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth when Coby Holmes drew a two-out walk and Sides hit his second home run of the game, a two-run blast to center to make it 3-2.
Trey Trosclair hit a solo home run to center in the sixth to put EMCC ahead, 4-2.
The Bobcats cut the lead to 4-3 in the seventh when Ducksworth singled, took second on a wild pitch and scored on a
Josh Cary (Petal) double down the left field line.
The Lions made it 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh when Ethan Medlin walked, Holmes singled and Sides was intentionally walked to load the bases. Blayze Berry's sacrifice fly to left scored Medlin.
Jakob Wax (Prairieville, Louisiana) led off the top of the eighth with a home run over the left field wall to pull the Bobcats within 5-4.
Chase Honeycutt (DeSoto Central) drew a walk, was replaced by pinch runner
McCrae Houston (Brandon) and Hutchinson sacrificed Houston to second.
DeeJay Booth (Oak Grove) was then hit by a pitch.
After a foul out, both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. Harris then drew a walk to load the bases, but Cary's fly ball to center was caught to end the inning.
The Lions added some insurance in the bottom of the eighth. Beau Bates led off with a walk and Kade Shannon blasted a two-run home run to center to make it 7-4. With one out,
Hunter French reached on an error and Medlin walked.
After the runners advanced a base on a ground out, Sides was intentionally walked for the second time in the game. Berry was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score French.
The Bobcats were retired in order in the ninth.
Starter
Kade Keeton (Brandon) went 6.1 innings and got the loss, falling to 5-3. He allowed five runs, seven hits, walked four and struck out seven.
Kace Matthews (West Jones) tossed .2 innings and had a strikeout.
Drew Druckenmiller (Mobile, Alabama) pitched .1 inning, allowed three runs (two earned), one hit and one walk.
Sam Mansell (Northeast Jones) pitched .2 innings and walked two.
Wax homered and singled with Harris getting a double and a single. Ducksworth had two singles, Williamson tripled and Cary doubled. Hutchinson, Booth and Honeycutt added singles.
Berry went the first 7.0 innings and got the win, improving his record to 7-1. He allowed three runs, 10 hits, one walk and recorded three strikeouts. Jonah Posey pitched .2 innings, allowed one run and two walks. Dakota Boney went the final 1.1 innings and got his second save. He allowed no baserunners and struck out two.
Sides homered twice and drove in three runs and Holmes singled twice. Trosclair and Shannon each homered with Bates and Austin Garrison adding singles.
