SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Behind a dominant performance in the circle from Jones College sophomore
Breelyn Cain, the Bobcats kept their season alive Friday afternoon with a 1-0 victory over St. Johns River State College in the national quarterfinals of the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series at Tyger River Park.
It's Jones' 41st all-time win in the NJCAA Tournament.
Cain was sensational from start to finish, firing a two-hit complete-game shutout while striking out a career-high 14 batters across seven innings. The sophomore allowed just two singles and stranded six baserunners.
The Bobcats (49-11) will now face the loser of Saturday's matchup between Copiah-Lincoln and Murray State College that was suspended Friday with the Aggies ahead 21-16 in the bottom of the fifth.
Co-Lin/Murray State will resume at 11 a.m. CST, then Kirkwood and Des Moines Area will play an elimination game and then Jones will take the field no sooner than 3 p.m.
In a tightly-contested pitchers' duel against the Vikings, neither offense could find much rhythm early.
Cain escaped her biggest jam in the second inning after St. Johns River loaded the bases with one out. She responded with back-to-back strikeouts to keep the game scoreless.
Jones finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth inning. Madison Sawyer opened the frame with a double to left field before Gracie Drinkwine entered as a pinch runner. Two batters later, Addy Shorter ripped a double down the left field line, plating Drinkwine with what proved to be the game's only run.
That was all the support Cain needed.
The right-hander retired the side in order in the first, third and seventh innings and struck out multiple batters in five different frames. She closed the game in dominant fashion, striking out Madison Driggers before getting Isabel Lewis to fly out to center field. Cain then ended the contest with her 14th strikeout when Raven Watson swung through strike three.
Shorter and Sawyer accounted for two of Jones' three hits with doubles, while Farrah James added a single. Marlee Dampeer reached base twice on walks and stole a base for the Bobcats.
Gabrielle Cruz was solid in defeat for St. Johns River, allowing just one run on three hits over six innings. Juliet Fogel and Isabel Lewis recorded the Vikings' only hits of the afternoon.
Saturday's game(s) can be watched at NJCAA.org/network ($) and live stats are also available.
