Jones College to Face Frederick in First Round of NJCAA Division II World Series

Jones College has secured the No. 6 seed in the 2026 NJCAA Division II World Series in Enid, Oklahoma. The Bobcats (40-16) will face Frederick, Maryland (36-13), on Saturday, May 23, at 1 p.m. in the opening game of the tournament. This marks the first meeting between the two programs.

The winner of Saturday’s game will advance to face third-seeded Madison College of Wisconsin on Sunday at 10 a.m. Jones qualified for the tournament by winning its first NJCAA Region 23 Championship since 2016, going 5-0 and defeating five ranked teams during the tournament. Frederick earned its spot by winning the Region 20 Championship with a 9-3 victory over Garrett College.

Jones boasts a team batting average of .326, its highest in five years under head coach Wes Thigpen, and nearly 30 points higher than last season. Seven starters are hitting above .300, led by Dylan Champagne (.376, 20 doubles, four home runs, 42 RBIs) and Sanders Ainsworth (.370, 15 doubles, 10 home runs, 68 RBIs).

On the mound, Jones has two pitchers with 10 wins, a feat not achieved since 2018. Trevor Hodges leads the staff with a 10-1 record, six saves, a 1.68 ERA and 73 strikeouts. Colton Smith, the team’s No. 1 starter, has a 10-3 record over 100.1 innings, with four complete games and a 3.41 ERA. The Bobcats’ pitching staff has allowed a .257 batting average against, ranking sixth nationally.

Frederick’s team batting average is .338, and they have the fifth-best on-base percentage in the country at .481, with 303 walks and 75 hit-by-pitches. Four starters hit over .400, including Vincenzo Cusat (.430, eight doubles, nine home runs, 45 RBIs). The Cougars’ pitching staff has a 5.58 ERA, ranking 22nd nationally. Their ace, Evan Hassinger, is 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 56.2 innings.

All games will be streamed on NJCAA.org/network for a fee, with live stats available for each contest.

Source: Original Article