ELLISVILLE – No. 6 Jones College showed both its firepower and resilience Friday afternoon, sweeping a high-scoring MACCC doubleheader from No. 14 Itawamba at Community Bank Park/Gwen Magee Field in Ellisville.
The Bobcats rallied past early deficits in both games to win 13-8 and 8-7, improving to 45-8 overall and closing conference play 24-4 to finish as MACCC runner-up and the No. 3 seed.
The 45 regular-season wins are the most in Jones fastpitch softball history (2001-present).
Jones will travel to Pearl River May 1-3 for one of two, four-team regionals to determine who will advance to the national tournament. Copiah-Lincoln will host the other four-team pod.
Jones 13, Itawamba 8
The opener turned into an offensive showcase, with Jones pounding out 13 hits and answering every Itawamba surge.
Itawamba struck first on a leadoff homer by Victoria Fields, but Jones responded in the bottom of the inning when
Mary Kimble Price launched a two-run shot to give the Bobcats a 2-1 lead.
Jones broke the game open in the second inning off RBI-singles from
Chloe Jenkins and a bases-clearing double from Price highlighted a four-run frame that pushed the lead to 6-1.
Itawamba answered in the third with a grand slam from Emarie Boddie to cut the deficit to 6-5, then took an 8-7 lead in the fourth on AB Marlar's two-run homer and a run-scoring passed ball.
Abigail Lindsey, who entered in relief of
Madison Sawyer in the circle with two outs in the fourth, delivered the biggest swing of the game in the bottom of the inning, crushing a three-run homer to put Jones back in front, 10-8. It was her first home run as a Bobcat after transferring from Mississippi Gulf Coast.
From there, the offense kept rolling.
Farrah James added a two-run homer in the fifth and Price capped her monster day with another home run in the sixth.
Price finished with two homers, a double, and six RBIs, while Lindsey also homered and drove in three. James contributed a two-run blast as part of the 13-run outburst.
Lindsey (5-0) earned the win in relief, helping stabilize things after Itawamba's mid-game rally.
Jones 8, Itawamba 7
Game two followed a similar script—Itawamba jumped out early and Jones methodically fought back to find a way to win.
The Indians plated four runs in the first inning and added another in the second to take a 5-2 lead. Emarie Boddie and Ella Duhon each drove in runs during the early surge.
Jones chipped away with solo home runs from Price and James in the third inning, then took advantage of timely hitting in the fourth. An RBI-single from Price and a two-run single by
Annaston Tate tied the game at 7-7.
The Bobcats finally took the lead in the sixth inning. With runners on, James reached on an error that allowed the go-ahead run to score, giving Jones an 8-7 advantage.
Breelyn Cain (11-5) took over in relief and shut the door, limiting the Indians to just two hits the rest of the way while striking out five to earn the win.
Tate led Jones with four RBIs, while Price added two hits and two RBIs. James also homered and drove in a run.
