Jones College routs Northwest Mississippi 13-5 in Ellisville Super Regional opener

ELLISVILLE — Jones College scored nine runs in the fifth inning and defeated Northwest Mississippi Community College 13-5 in seven innings Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Ellisville Super Regional at Community Bank Park.

The Bobcats (39-16) moved one win away from advancing in the best-of-three series and improved to 4-0 in postseason play. Jones struck first in the opening inning when Warren Hutchinson singled and scored on a throwing error after Dylan Champagne’s two-out single to center. Northwest (34-20) tied the game in the third when Mason Gillentine hit a solo homer to left field.

The Rangers took a 4-1 lead in the fifth after Preston Johnson doubled and Northwest capitalized on a Jones error, followed by Mason McMillin’s two-run single. However, Jones responded with a dramatic nine-run inning. Brayson Graham opened with a walk and stole second. Brayden Quick and Kelan Guidry delivered consecutive singles to cut the deficit. Sanders Ainsworth then singled in two runs to tie the game, and Gage Reeves added an RBI single to give Jones its first lead of the game.

The Bobcats added to their lead with a towering grand slam by Quick, who finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBIs. Graham and Reeves contributed two hits each, while Hutchinson went 4-for-5. Jones outhit Northwest 16-7 overall.

Chase Russell drove in a run with a triple in the sixth and ended the game with a walk-off RBI single in the seventh after Quick reached base and advanced on a wild pitch. Jones pitcher Colton Smith earned the win, improving to 10-3 with a complete-game effort. He allowed five hits and three earned runs with eight strikeouts. Northwest starter Caleb Doty (6-3) took the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings.

The Bobcats can clinch the series Thursday night and reach the Division II World Series in Enid, Oklahoma, for the first time since 2016. Tickets are available online for $12 plus fees or $15 cash at the gate. The game will be streamed at jcbobcats.com/watch.

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