SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Falling in its opening game of the NJCAA Division II Softball Championship to 13-seed Rock Valley, 4-1, Jones staved off elimination with a 10-8, eight inning victory over 19-seed Bryant & Stratton (Virginia) Tuesday afternoon at Tyger River Park.

Jones will be facing elimination again tomorrow morning when they face ninth-ranked Des Moines Area. First pitch is set for 8 a.m./9 est.

All games at the national tournament can be viewed at NJCAA.org/network for a fee.

Rock Valley 4, Jones 1

Golden Eagle pitching held Jones scoreless the final six innings and used a two-run home run from Sam Tourtillott to upset the Bobcats in their opener in Spartanburg. 

Faith McClain's RBI-single made it 1-0 before a fielder's choice tied it for Jones after one.

The Bobcats were poised for more in the inning after getting the first two runners on base, but lined into a double play at first and fouled out and were held to one.

Jones never threatened the rest of the way.

Tourtillott's two-run homer made it 3-1 Golden Eagles in the third and Diamond Blomlie singled in the fourth to make it 4-1.

Alison Hassett scattered three hits, an unearned run and six strikeouts for the win.

Reanna Nieman went the distance and was touched for four runs on five hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

Elise Jackson had two of the Bobcats' three hits.

Jones 10, Bryant & Stratton (Va.) 8 (8 inn.)

Jones squandered a 7-1 lead in the sixth, needed a wild pitch to tie it in the seventh and had to have the third of three Makynlie Jones home runs to stay alive in extra innings.

Jones hit solo homers in the second and third and a pair of RBI-singles from Jackson and Jayden Sawyer and a wild pitch made it 6-0 (JC) Bobcats after three.

With Jones cruising along in the sixth, Bryant & Stratton took advantage of a (JC) Bobcat pitching change and scored seven in the sixth to take an 8-7 lead.

Ava Prejean relieved Sawyer to give the freshman some rest, but hit the first batter, threw a wild pitch, allowed another to reach on an error and gave up a double before Sawyer re-entered.

Jones and Sawyer were clearly rattled, with the Bobcats scoring six runs on four hits and two Jones errors to put the (JC) Bobcats on the brink of elimination.

Jones loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh and Emma Moore scored on a wild pitch to tie it at 8-8 and force extras.

After a leadoff walk to Emily Mizelle put the go-ahead run on base in the eighth, Jones blasted her third homer of the game to make it 10-8 Jones and the (JC) Bobcats would hold on.

Makynlie closed 4-for-4 with three home runs, a double and four RBIs.

Sawyer went 8.0 innings, scattering seven hits, five runs (one earned) and a career-high 16 strikeouts.