Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Jones sweeps ‘Cat Fight
Pearl River drops 4-2, 3-2 heartbreakers to plummet to 14-12 overall, 2-6 in division

      ELLISVILLE — Jones County swept Pearl River in the ’Cat Fight I MACJC South Division baseball doubleheader played here Tuesday with the Bobcats taking 4-2 and 3-2 victories over the Wildcats.
      PRCC dropped to 14-12 overall and 2-6 in division play, while JCJC improved to 24-6 and 5-3.
      The Bobcats scored all four of its runs in the opener of the twin bill in the bottom of the first inning and rallied to win the nightcap in extra innings off an error in the bottom of the eighth frame.
      In the first game, the Wildcats went three up, three down to open the first, but Jones County got to work when Chris Lofton smashed a one-out triple and scored off Tyler Gardner’s ensuing single up the middle. An out later, Tyler McMullen wound up on second base via a throwing error for an out, scoring Gardner.
      Three straight singles by Charlie Hillman, Dustin Gilmore, and Zach Robertson made it 4-0 before PRCC starter Jared Ashford of Baton Rouge, La., struck out Adam Burnett to end the inning.
Pearl River was ready to respond in the top of the second when designated hitter Zach Farrar of Brandon wound up on second after a Bobcat throwing error to first for an out, then Ashley Graeter of Poplarville High singled to center before Michael Lindsey of Petal High hit into a double play.
      The Wildcats loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth when Ethan Burt of Presbyterian Christian led off with a double and Farrar and Matt Discon of Pearl River Central followed with base hits only to see Graeter strike out, Lindsey pop out to left, and Alex Riser of Picayune High fly out into a head wind at the left field fence via an impressive athletic grab by Lofton.
      The Bobcats left runners at first and third in the bottom of the frame.
      PRCC scored its first run in the top of the fifth when Jake Hawkins of Sumrall High was belted by a pitch with one out, stole second, and scored on Burt’s single an out later to make it 4-1 before Farrar grounded to third for the final out.
      In the sixth, Discon led off with a double which saw Bobcat starter Colton Ales exit the mound for Zach Toney, who immediately saw Discon score via a wild pitch. Graeter then cracked an up-the-middle single before Toney retired three straight, then ended the game with three straight strikeouts in the seventh.
      Ales (6-1) got the win in his five innings on the mound, striking out four and hitting one batter; while Toney pitched the final two frames, striking out three.
      Ashford (2-2) got the loss in going the distance, striking out five and walking two.
      Burt (one RBI) and Discon each doubled and singled to pace PRCC’s eight-hit attack, while Graeter had two base hits and Farrar and Hawkins singled.
      JCJC finished with six hits, led by Lofton’s triple and single, while Gardner (one RBI), Gilmore (one RBI), Hillman, and Robertson (one RBI) all had base hits.
      Each team committed one error in the game.
      In the nightcap game, Wildcat starter Kye Wilson of Winnsboro, La., had a whale of an afternoon; striking out 11 batters and giving up a mere two hits in his four-and-two-thirds innings of action. Plus PRCC held on to a narrow 2-0 lead when he made his exit for reliever Wil Mann of Brandon.
      But a two-out walk, an infield throwing error, and a double by Robertson saw the Bobcats rally in the bottom of the sixth and knot things up at 2-2.
      Pearl River opened the game with a solo run in the first when Dustin Langley of Petal High reached on a fielder’s choice and scored an out later off Discon’s single. Farrar then reached after being hit by a pitch before Graeter grounded to short for the third out with runners at first and third.
      In the top of the third, Langley singled up the middle with one out, then Burt reached on a booted grounder to short before Langley was thrown out at third on an attempted steal. Discon followed with a walk before Farrar popped out with runners at first and second.
      In the bottom of the fourth, Lofton led off with a single, stole second a strikeout later, then wound up on third on a passed ball before Sam Berry walked. Wilson then struck out two straight with runners at second and third.
      Adrian Lee of Forrest County AHS led off the top of the fifth with a walk, then Hawkins outran a bunt to first. Bobcat starter Bryce Penny then left the mound for reliever Cory Williams, who immediately saw Langley outrun a bunt to load the bases. Burt struck out before Lee scored the Wildcats’ second and final run on a wild pitch. Williams walked Discon to reload the bases before Farrar popped out and Grater struck out.
      Robertson led off the bottom of the frame with a single up the middle, then Wilson struck out his 10th and 11th before belting Brock Landry to put runners at first and third. Mann arrived at that point, striking out Hillman to end the inning.
      Williams retired three straight Wildcats in the top of the sixth, then McMullen drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the frame before Gilmore cracked a bouncer to Mann who overthrew to first and McMullen scored to make it 2-1 with Gilmore winding up at third.
      Robertson’s double tied it up and Sean Kelly of Pearl River Central relieved and retired Burnett, the only batter he faced in the game, to end the inning.
      The Wildcats left runners at first and second in the top of the seventh, then Graeter, in relief of Kelly, loaded the bases off a Zach Hinton lead off single to center, a hit batter, and an intentional walk that was preceded by two strikeouts. McMullen grounded out to send things into extra innings.
      Trey Lacy relieved Williams in the eighth with Derek Tortorich of Pearl River Central drawing a two-out walk before Lee grounded out to short. Gilmore blasted a lead double to left field, moved to third on Robertson’s ground out, and scored the winning run on a throwing error to first.
      Lacy (1-0) got his first win of the season in his one inning of relief, walking one; while Penny started and pitched four innings, striking out four, walking two, and hitting one batter. Williams relieved in the fifth, striking out five and walking two.
      Graeter (2-1) got the loss in his one-and-one-thirds innings of relief, striking out two and walking one; while starter Wilson also walked one and hit one batter. Mann one inning of relief saw him record a strikeout and a walk.
      Each team finished with six hits with Hawkins leading the Wildcats with a pair of singles, while Burt, Discon (one RBI), Langley, and Rogers all getting base hits.
      Robertson paced the Bobcats with a double and a single (one RBI), while Gilmore doubled and Zach Hinton, Landry, and Lofton all had base hits.
      PRCC committed three errors in the game to JCJC’s one defensive miscue.
      Pearl River returns to MACJC South Division action Saturday when Mississippi Gulf Coast visits for a 1 p.m. doubleheader, then division foe East Central plays host Wednesday, April 1, in a 2 p.m. twin bill in Decatur..