ELLISVILLE, Miss. — Colton Smith pitched a complete game, six-hitter in leading No. 14 Jones College to a 6-3 victory over Coastal Alabama-South Thursday afternoon at Community Bank Park.
Smith (Bossier City, Louisiana) did not allow an earned run and struck out six batters. The win improved his record to 5-0 on the season. The pitcher has now thrown 23.1 innings without surrendering an earned run this year. The Bobcats moved to 12-2, while the Coyotes dropped to 7-6.
Coastal Alabama-South took an early lead with a three-run top of the fifth inning. An error, walk and an RBI single by Aiden Hughes made it 1-0. Following a hit batsman, Clayton Kimball drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Jeffrey Diaz added an RBI single to make it 3-0.
Jones responded in the bottom of the inning after Coyotes starter Bryson Morman was replaced by Seth Payne. Kelan Guidry and Warren Hutchinson drew walks to lead off, and Talan Theriot was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Chase Russell’s sacrifice fly scored Guidry, and Sanders Ainsworth followed with an RBI single, cutting the lead to 3-2.
The Bobcats nearly tied the game with a line drive caught for an inning-ending double play. The score remained 3-2 until the bottom of the seventh, when Jones took the lead. Dylan Champagne was hit by a pitch, and Gage Reeves reached on an error to start the inning. Guidry reached on a fielder’s choice, and Hutchinson hit an infield RBI single. Theriot then singled to left, giving Jones a 4-3 advantage. Russell added an RBI double, and back-to-back doubles by Champagne and Reeves extended the lead to 6-3, ending the scoring.
Russell finished with two doubles and two RBIs. Champagne and Reeves each had doubles, while Hutchinson, Theriot, Ainsworth and Quick contributed singles. Morman pitched five scoreless innings, allowing two hits, one walk and striking out one for Coastal Alabama-South. Relief pitcher Trevor Ferris took the loss after giving up two runs in an inning-plus. Diaz led the Coyotes with two singles, and Noah Eady added a double. Roberson, Jelen, and Hughes each singled for the Coyotes.
The two teams will meet again Friday at 2 p.m. in Bay Minette, Alabama. Jones will also participate in a tournament Tuesday at Pearl River, facing No. 25 Gulf Coast at 3 p.m. and No. 2 Pearl River at 6 p.m.
