POPLARVILLE – In a rivalry matchup between two of the NJCAA's elite, No. 6 Jones College handed No. 1 Pearl River its first shutout loss of the year in the opener before a walk-off homer in the nightcap helped the Wildcats split.
Jones moved to 25-6 overall, 4-2 MACCC and PRCC moved to 19-3, 3-1 MACCC.
The Bobcats close out Spring Break with a 1 p.m. Saturday doubleheader at Mississippi Delta.
Jones 4, Pearl River 0
Madison Sawyer dealt Pearl River its first shutout loss in the opener in the circle and helped her cause with an early homer.
Jones wasted no time setting the tone in the top of the first. After a pair of quick outs, Sawyer delivered the game's first big swing, launching a two-run home run to left field to give the Bobcats an early 2-0 advantage.
That momentum proved to be all they needed.
Pearl River threatened multiple times early but couldn't capitalize. In the first inning, a walk and an error put runners in scoring position, and in the third, the Wildcats loaded the bases with one out. However, Jones' defense and pitching held firm, stranding five runners across those two frames and preserving the shutout.
Annaston Tate's two-run homer to left in the fourth doubled the lead to 4-0 and gave the Bobcats more insurance.
Sawyer (11-1) limited Pearl River to just two hits while working out of the few jams she faced.
Pearl RIver 4, Jones 2 (8 inn.)
Maeli Ben's first home run of the year was a massive one for the host Wildcats, lifting them to an extra-inning win.
Jones struck first in the opening frame when Tate delivered an RBI-single to bring in
Mary Kimble Price, and a throwing error later in the inning allowed Sawyer to score, giving the Bobcats a 2-0 lead after the top of the first.
Pearl River answered immediately in the bottom half on Shania Fondren's base hit to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The game then settled into a pitchers' duel.
PRCC tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth on a walk, hit-by-pitch, sacrifice bunt and groundout.
From there, neither side could push across the go-ahead run in regulation.
Jones threatened in the sixth with a double from Price, but couldn't capitalize. Pearl River also had chances late, putting runners in scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings, but came up empty each time.
That set the stage for extra innings where Zion Seals drew a leadoff walk and then Ben delivered the decisive blow.
Breelyn Cain (5-3) took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits with a season-high eight walks.
Ana-Grace Garcia punched out 10 for PRCC.
Claire Andersen stole two more bags in the finale, bringing her season total to 34 and career total to 72. She needs 14 more to break the all-time stolen base record.
