SPARTANBURG, SC – Sixth-seed Jones College rallied from an early 3-0 deficit and edged 11th-seeded Potomac State (West Virginia) 6-5 in eight innings here Tuesday afternoon at Tyger Park in the first round of the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series.
Jones (47-8) will now face No. 3 seed South Mountain College (Arizona) at 3 p.m. Wednesday in a winner's bracket game. Potomac State (43-4) meets Jackson (Michigan) at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
Lauren Lindsey (Mobile, Alabama) singled to left with one out in the bottom of the eighth and advanced to second on an error.
Arin Dale (DeSoto Central) entered as a pinch-runner and
Carly Lewis (Jackson Prep) followed with a single up the middle to score Dale for the walk-off, 6-5 win.
The Catamounts took the lead in the top of the first inning when Alexis Bailey belted a three-run home run off starter
Hanna Zeitz.
Jones got a run back in the bottom of the second when
Gabby Hoffman (Florence) led off with a single and scored on a two-out infield hit by
Nia Luckett (Philadelphia).
The Bobcats took a 5-3 lead in the fourth.
Tia'Rain Saunders (Choctaw Central) led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice by
Elise Jackson (Purvis). Luckett reached on a bunt single to put runners at first and third. After Luckett stole second,
Aaliyah Dixon (Hillcrest Christian) singled to right to score both runners and tie the game at 3-3.
Dixon advanced to second on the throw, stole third base and scored on a throwing error to give Jones a 4-3 lead. Lindsey singled, Lewis walked and
Kathryn Smith (Luling, Louisiana) followed with a single to drive in Lewis.
The Catamounts got a home run from Grace Walsh in the fifth to cut the lead to 5-4 and tied the game in the seventh when Alexa Shoemaker hit a two-out home run.
Luckett pitched the final 6.2 innings and got the win, improving to 14-3. She allowed two runs, four hits, walked one and struck out 13. Zeitz (Clinton Christian Academy) went 1.1 innings, allowed three runs, two hits, walked three and struck out one.
Lindsey had three singles to lead Jones' 14-hit attack. Luckett, Lewis, Saunders and Jackson each had two singles. Dixon, Smith and Hoffman added singles.
Catamount starter Abby Peace pitched 7.1 innings and got her first loss of the year, falling to 22-1. She allowed six runs (five earned), 14 hits, walked four and struck out eight.
Bailey homered, doubled and singled for Potomac St. Shoemaker homered and singled with Walsh getting a home run.
