ELLISVILLE – Jones County pitchers combined for 29 strikeouts in 16 innings and only allowed one run to lead the No. 3 Bobcats to a sweep of No. 4 Pearl River here Tuesday at Community Bank Park.
Will Freeman (Semmes, Alabama) tossed a complete-game, six-hitter with 18 strikeouts to lead the Bobcats to a 2-0 win in Game 1.
In Game 2, starter Tyler Spring (Stone) went six innings and had nine strikeouts and reliever Bryce Fagan (Petal) pitched an inning and got two strikeouts as the Bobcats completed the sweep, 4-1.
JCJC, winners of 14 straight games, takes over sole possession of first place in the MACJC with an 18-4 mark. Pearl River is second at 17-5.
The Bobcats are now 33-7 overall and the Wildcats are 32-8.
The Bobcats travel to Coahoma for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, while Pearl River goes to Holmes for a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.
Bobcats 2, Wildcats 0
Freeman, who has already signed with the University of Alabama, struck out three batters in three separate innings and two batters in four different innings. Freeman, 6-1, walked none and allowed only six hits.
The Bobcats got the only run they would need in the second inning when Tate Pepper (Ocean Springs) belted his first home run of the season, a solo shot over the left field wall.
Jones made it 2-0 in the fifth when Miguel Morgan (South Jones) led off with a walk and advanced to second on a single by Trace Henry (Mooreville). Morgan stole third and Henry was out on the same play. Robbie Woody (Madison Central) then drew a walk.
Woody then stole second and a throwing error allowed Morgan to score.
In the seventh, PRCC’s Simon Landry led off the inning by reaching on a dropped third strike and Noah Barron followed with a single to give the Wildcats two on with no outs. But Freeman got a flyout and two strikeouts to end the inning.
In the ninth inning with one out, Baron reached on an error and Shemar Page doubled into the right field corner to put runners at second and third with one out. But Freeman got two strikeouts to end the game.
Pepper homered and singled twice, while Woody singled twice for Jones. Stephen Matthews had a double and Henry, Luther Woullard (D’Iberville) and Brandon Hale (Pontotoc) added singles.
Camden Dusang went 4.1 innings and got his first loss of the season. He is now 6-1. He allowed two runs (one earned), five hits, walked one and struck out none. Reliever Drake Nightengale pitched 3.2 innings, allowed no runs, four hits and walked three.
Page doubled twice for PRCC with Scooter Ginn and Matt Taylor adding doubles. Landry and Barron added singles.
Bobcats 4, Wildcats 1
Spring, who has committed to Mississippi State, allowed one run, three hits and walked two as he improved to 7-1.
Fagan, who has signed with Louisiana Tech, pitched a perfect seventh inning for his fifth save.
PRCC had a chance to take the lead in the top of the first when Taylor led off with a single and Bryson Medious was hit by a pitch to put two runners on with no outs. Derek Eberly then bunted the ball in the air and Spring made a diving catch and was able to double Taylor off at second base. Spring then got a fly out to end the inning.
JCJC took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Woody walked with one out, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single by Jake Mason (West Lauderdale).
The Wildcats tied it in the third when Taylor singled, stole second and scored on Eberly’s double to center.
The Bobcats went ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the third when Woullard drew a two-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Mason reached on an error.
JCJC made it 3-1 in the fifth when R.J. Brown (Columbus, Georgia) led off with a double and Henry reached on a bunt. Woody then hit a fly ball into foul territory down the right field line. Landry, the first baseman, made the catch, but Brown was able to tag up and score on the play.
Eberly walked to start the sixth inning, but Spring got a fly out and two strikeouts to end the threat.
Hudson Harris (West Jones) ended the scoring with a leadoff home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the sixth.
Harris homered, Brown doubled and Henry and Mason singled for JCJC.
Miles Smith went 4.1 innings and took the loss for the Wildcats. He allowed three runs (two earned), three hits, walked four and struck out four. Smith is now 6-2. Jerod Meggs went 1.2 innings, allowed one run, one hit and struck out two.
Taylor singled twice and Eberly doubled for the Wildcats.
