Lady Bengals advance to World Series
What a difference a year makes.
After both teams failed to advance out of the NJCAA Division II Region 23 tournament last season, Jones County Junior College captured the 2016 tournament title with a 5-2 win over LSU Eunice Sunday at Lady Bengal Field.
The Lady Bobcats (45-6) and Lady Bengals (53-7) both advance to the World Series set for May 17-21 at Traceway Park in Clinton, Mississippi.
Jones jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Kalyn Watts hit a lead-off home run, while the Lady Bulldogs added a run when Shelby Nelson singled and scored on a double by Brittany Baty.
JCJC pushed ahead 3-0 when Ashley Valentine hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning.
The Lady Bulldogs added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth frame, begun when Cori McCary walked, Baty was hit by a pitch and both scored on a hit by Shelby Nelson.
The Lady Bengals threatened in the top of the third inning when Mollie Wilson reached on an error and Jaci Lavigne singled, but neither could score. Ali Daigle walked in the top of the fourth, but she was left stranded.
The Lady Bengals battled for two runs in the top of the sixth when Maddie Edmonston singled and Rebcecca Skains hit her 21st home run of the season, a new LSU Eunice record.
Rachel Hayes earned the win as she struck out three, walked one and allowed two runs on four hits.
Hayes also limited the Lady Bengals to four hits in LSU Eunice’s 4-3 loss to Jones County in the winner’s bracket final on Saturday.
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