ELLISVILLE – Nia Luckett (Philadelphia) threw a one-hitter and Lindsay Henson (Lawrenceburg, Indiana) belted her 14th home run of the season to lead No. 4 Jones College to a 2-0 win over Mississippi Gulf Coast here Wednesday in the opening day of the MACCC Tournament
 
The Bobcats (40-8) will now face No. 9 Pearl River at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in a winner's bracket game at Community Bank Park/Gwen Magee Field. PRCC beat No. 13 Northwest 4-0 in a first-round game.
 
Luckett, the reigning MACCC Pitcher of the Week, was stellar once again for Jones.
 
She had a perfect game until she walked Kate Brannan with two outs in the sixth inning. She then lost her no-hitter when Kristian Jones followed with a single to center. But Brannan was thrown out by centerfielder Tia'Rain Saunders (Choctaw Central) trying to advance to third on the play to end the inning.
 
Down two runs, the Bulldogs threatened in the seventh.
 
Breanna Green led off with a walk and K.K. Agner reached on a fielder's choice. Kaydee Smith entered as a pinch-runner for Agner. After a pop out, Smith advanced to second on a wild pitch and Darcy Novak walked to put two runners on base.
 
Luckett then got Abbott Stafford to ground out to end the game.
 
The Bobcats took a 1-0 lead in the second when Henson led off the inning with a home run to right-center.
 
Henson led off the fourth with a single and was replaced by Mackenzie Jones (South Jones), who stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Carly Lewis (Jackson Prep) singled to right to drive in Jones for the game's second run.
 
Luckett (13-4) walked three and struck out five to gain the win.
 
Henson was 3-for-3 on the hot afternoon with a home run and two singles. Lewis had two singles and Sarah Ballard (Purvis) and Sydney Pevey (Lawrence County) added singles.
 
Emaleigh Coates (9-8) pitched 6.0 innings and got the loss. She allowed two runs, seven hits, walked none and struck out six. 
 
Kristian Jones had Gulf Coast's only hit. The Bulldogs fall to 22-26.
 
In Wednesday's other games, No. 6 Itawamba beat East Central, 6-5, and No. 5 Copiah-Lincoln edged Northeast, 2-1.
 
In elimination games on Thursday, East Central meets Northeast at 11 a.m. and Gulf Coast faces Northwest at 1:30 p.m. Itawamba plays Co-Lin at 4 p.m. in a winner's bracket game.
 
The tournament continues through Saturday.
 
All tournament games will air on JCJC.TV.