POPLARVILLE – An anticipated NJCAA Top 5 matchup Wednesday night ended in a split as No. 4 Pearl River took the opener, 5-4, and No. 5 Jones won the nightcap in run-rule fashion, 13-5.
Jones stayed a game ahead of PRCC for the second hosting spot in the Region 23 Tournament with four games to play. 
The Bobcats moved to 32-12, 19-5 in the MACCC while the Wildcats moved to 40-9, 20-6.
Jones hosts Itawamba April 27 and Mississippi Delta April 29 to close the regular season.
Pearl River 5, Jones 4
Jones spotted the Wildcats five runs in the first, after three straight walks to start the game, and couldn't recover in a one-run loss.
All five PRCC runs came with two outs after a bases-clearing double by Peyton Hoffmayer and two-run double by Klair Cuevas.
Jones got a run back on 
Meredith Fontenot's RBI-single in the second and got within 5-4 in the fifth on 
Jayden Sawyer's three-run homer.
The Bobcats had a chance to tie or take the lead in the sixth after getting two on with no outs, but a fly out and strikeout ended the chance.
In the seventh Jones had two on with no outs after a 
Brooklynn Montana walk and Sawyer single, but a double play and fielder's choice ended the game.
Reanna Nieman (15-5) allowed just one hit after the first inning, scattering four total hits, five runs, eight strikeouts and four walks.
Natalie Herrington improve to 17-3 for PRCC.
Sawyer was the only Bobcat with multiple hits and drove in three.
Jones 13, Pearl River 5 (5 inn.)
Jones returned the favor with a five-run first of its own to take control in game two and never trailed.
Emily Mizelle homered as part of the five-run first and 
Gracey Harbour had a two-run single.
PRCC got two back on a Bryn Daughtery homer in the bottom of the first, but the Wildcats wouldn't get any closer. 
Jones tacked on three more in the second, four in the third and a single run in the fourth.
Sawyer was 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs, Mizelle was 2-for-4 with a double, homer and four RBIs and Montana, 
Emma Moore and Harbour had two hits apiece.
Sawyer (13-5) also got the win in the circle, scattering seven hits, five runs and three strikeouts.