ELLISVILLE – Top-ranked Jones County Junior College continued to impress here Wednesday at Community Bank Park/Gwen Magee Field.
Emily Robinson (Lafayette) drove in four runs to help JCJC to a 9-4 win over Pearl River in game one of the “Catfight on the Diamond.” Madison Burge (Harrison Central) then went the distance as the Lady Bobcats won the nightcap, 9-1 in five innings. Robinson had three RBIs in game two, giving her seven on the day.
JCJC has now won 25 straight games. The Lady Bobcats are 33-1 overall and 20-0 in the MACJC.
Jones hosts No. 7 Itawamba in a 2 p.m. doubleheader Saturday in a huge MACJC and NJCAA showdown.
Pearl River, 18-14 overall and 11-7 in the conference, entertains Holmes on Saturday.
Lady Bobcats 9, Lady Wildcats 4
PRCC took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Elizabeth Taggard walked, Halle Melone singled and Dallas Blaker followed with an RBI single.
In the bottom of the first, Kelsha Loftin (Mendenhall) and Taylor Murray (Parklane Academy) walked. Robinson then lined a three-run home run to left to put Jones ahead, 3-1.
But the Lady Wildcats tied it in the second.
Ramee Taylor reached on an error and Destiny Wesley and Anna Grace Cooley both walked to load the bases. Sarah Depperschmidt’s fielder’s choice scored Taylor and Cooley came home on a throwing error.
JCJC regained the lead in the bottom of the second when Gracie McCleskey (Caledonia) singled, stole second, went to third on a ground out by Sarah Brock (North Pike) and scored on a Loftin single. Robinson’s single to center scored Loftin to make it 5-3.
McKennah Sikes (Van Buren, Arkansas) led off the bottom of the third with a walk and Faith Denton (Northwest Rankin) singled. McCleskey sacrificed and Brock delivered a two-run double to give JCJC a 7-3 lead.
Donald led off the fifth with a home run over the scoreboard to put Jones on top 8-3.
In the sixth, Loftin led off with a single, stole second and scored on a Murray double.
Pearl River’s final run came in the seventh when Taggart led off with a single, took second on a passed ball, went to third on a ground out and scored on a ground out by Olivia Holey.
Starter Karli Perque (Westwego, Louisiana) went 2.2 innings, allowed three runs (one earned), three hits, walked four and struck out four. She got the win and is now 13-1. Donald went the final 4.1 innings, allowed one run, one hit, walked one and struck out four.
Robinson homered and singled, while Loftin singled twice. Donald homered, Murray doubled with Callie Venable (Clinton, Louisiana), Sikes, Denton and McCleskey adding singles.
Starter Dallas Balker went five innings and took the loss. She allowed eight runs, seven hits, walked five and struck out one. Holley pitched an inning, giving up a run on three hits.
Taggart, Melone, Blaker and Alyssa Pinero each singled for PRCC.
Lady Bobcats 9, Lady Wildcats 1
(5 innings)
JCJC got off to another quick start, scoring three runs in the first.
Loftin led off by reaching on an error, Murray walked and Robinson drilled an RBI single to center. Venable’s ground out scored Murray and Donald’s single scored Robinson.
The Lady Wildcats lone run came in the third when Cooley walked and scored on a double by Taggard.
Jones sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Sikes singled, Bailey Gilbert (Sylva-Bay Academy) walked and McCleskey followed with an RBI single. Pinchhitter Angel Guyton’s (Smithville) single drove in a run to put Jones up, 5-1.
Loftin reached on a fielder’s choice and Murray singled a run home. Robinson followed with a two-run double to left to give JCJC an 8-1 lead.
JCJC ended it in the bottom of the fifth when Sikes walked and was replaced by Natilyn Hasty (Germantown. Hasty took second on a passed ball and scored on Simone McKinney’s (Harrison Central) single to left.
Burge, 10-0, went all five innings and got the win. She allowed one run, three hits, walked two and struck out one.
Robinson doubled and singled with Murray, Donald, Sikes, McCleskey, McKinney and Guyton adding singles.
Holley, the starter, went 3.2 innings and took the loss. She gave up eight runs (seven earned), seven hits, walked two and struck out three. Blaker tossed .1 inning, walked two, struck out one and gave up an unearned run. Rylee Swilley pitched .2 innings and allowed a hit.
Taggart doubled for the Lady Wildcats, while Wesley and Cooley added singles.
