BOONEVILLE – Jones College is headed back to the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament for the first time since 2019 after winning its best-of-3 playoff series at Northeast.

Jones won Game 1 of the series on Thursday, 12-6, and run-ruled the Tigers, 11-1, in five innings on Friday to close out the series.

"I'm so proud of this team," first-year head coach Wes Thigpen said. "But there is more work to be done in a few weeks."

This year's Region 23 Tournament will be held May 16-20 at Dub Herring Park in Poplarville.

Walks were the difference in the Bobcats' series-clinching win Friday. Three Northeast pitchers combined to walk nine while Kade Keeton walked only one in five innings.

Jackson Owen's solo homer in the second gave Northeast an early 1-0 lead. But that's all the offense the Tigers would get.

A bases-clearing triple for Colson Harris and back-to-back RBI-singles for Josh Cary and Drew Williamson plated five to give the Bobcats a 5-1 lead in the third. 

Murray Hutchinson's leadoff walk in the fifth was one of five in the inning. After an error, Harris' RBI-single and and Billy Garrity sac fly extended the lead to 8-1. Chase Honeycutt followed with a bases-loaded walk and Hutchinson singled to score two to make it 11-1 Bobcats. 

Keeton allowed one run on two hits with four strikeouts in a five inning complete game.

MSU signee Colby Holcombe fell to 7-3, with two of his three season losses to the Bobcats. He allowed seven runs on four hits and walked six.