ELLISVILLE –
Colton Smith tossed a complete game six-hitter and led No. 14 Jones College to a 6-3 victory over Coastal Alabama-South here Thursday afternoon at Community Bank Park.
Smith (Bossier City, La.) did not allow an earned run and struck out six as he improved to 5-0 on the season. For the year, Smith has now pitched 23.1 innings and has yet to allow an earned run.
The Bobcats improve to 12-2, while the Coyotes drop to 7-6.
The Coyotes broke open a scoreless game with three runs in the top of the fifth.
An error, walk and an RBI single by Aiden Hughes made it 1-0. After a hit batsman, Clayton Kimball drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to center. Jeffrey Diaz followed with an RBI single.
Coastal Alabama-South starter Bryson Morman shut out the Bobcats for five innings, but was replaced by Seth Payne to start the sixth and Jones took advantage of the change.
Kelan Guidry (Baton Rouge, La.) and
Warren Hutchinson (Madison Central) drew walks to start the inning and
Talan Theriot (Luling, La.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Chase Russell's (Madison Central) sacrifice fly to center drove in Guidry and
Sanders Ainsworth (Madison Central) followed with an RBI single to make it 3-2.
Brayden Quick (Germantown) then hit a sharp line drive that was caught by second baseman Grayson Roberson that was turned into an unassisted double play.
The Bobcats took the lead in the bottom of the seventh.
Dylan Champagne (Prairieville, La.) was hit by a pitch and
Gage Reeves (George County) reached on an error to start the inning. Guidry reached on a fielder's choice and Hutchinson lined an infield RBI single off the pitcher. Theriot's single to left put the Bobcats ahead 4-3 and Russell followed with an RBI double.
Back-to-back doubles by Champagne and Reeves plated a run and ended the scoring in the bottom of the eighth.
Russell had two doubles and two RBIs for the Bobcats. Champagne and Reeves each had doubles with Hutchinson, Theriot, Ainsworth and Quick adding singles.
Morman went 5.0 innings, allowed no runs, two hits, walked one and struck out one for the Coyotes. After Payne pitched an inning-plus and gave up two runs, Trevor Ferris came to the mound. He allowed two runs, three hits, struck out two and was charged with the loss.
Diaz had two singles for the Coyotes and Noah Eady had a double. Roberson, Derek Jelen and Hughes had singles.
The two teams will meet again in a 2 p.m. Friday, nine-inning game in Bay Minette, Ala.
Jones will play in a round event Tuesday at Pearl River. The Bobcats will face No. 25 Gulf Coast at 3 p.m. and No. 2 Pearl River at 6 p.m.
