Jones rallies from big first inning deficit to beat Co-Lin for region title

WESSON (JCBobcats.com) – Jones rallied from a 4-0 first inning deficit to beat reigning national and region champion Copiah-Lincoln, 7-5, Saturday afternoon in the NJCAA Region 23 Championship game at Lady Wolves Field.

Jones captured its seventh region title in program history and first since 2021. 

The Bobcats, 40-13, also hit the 40-win plateau for an unparalleled 12th straight full* season. Copiah-Lincoln lost at home for just the second time all year to fall to 42-5.

Both teams have already qualified for the NJCAA Division II World Series May 20-25 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Jones gets the Gulf District-A bid and Co-Lin the B-bid.

Madison Moak started off the game with a bang for Co-Lin, driving a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right-center. Three walks in the inning, two RBI-singles and a wild pitch were part of a four-run bottom of the first.

Makynlie Jones' solo shot to right-center got the Bobcats on the board in the second, but Co-Lin would respond with Moak's second homer to make it 5-1 after two. 

Reanna Nieman came on in relief of Jayden Sawyer with one out in the second and was lights out to keep Jones in striking distance.

Sawyer drew a bases-loaded walk to pull Jones within 5-2 in the third and a double play plated another run to make it 5-3.

Jones' second home run of the game off the hitting facility beyond left-center gave Jones its first lead, 6-5, in the top of the fifth.

Nieman did the rest from there, allowing just three hits and no runs over 5.2 innings to will the Bobcats to the finish line. 

Sawyer would strike with her 28th homer in the top of the seventh, a solo shot to tie Lauren Holifield's single-season school record. 

Nieman then retired the Wolves in order in the bottom of the seventh, including a strikeout to pinch-hitter Sarah Grace Smith to end it.

Brooklyn Montana added two hits along with Jones' two hits and four RBIs.

Co-Lin ace Cara Biswell was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs on six hits in 4.2 innings. 

Bracket and matchups for the NJCAA Division II World Series will be announced on the NJCAA Network on Tuesday, May 14 at 11 a.m. CST.