On the Net (video):
Yasmeen Cooper talks about her home run against Jones County:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss56fSZPI70
Ellisville, Miss. – Yasmeen Cooper and the Northeast Mississippi Community College softball team were not intimidated by a nationally ranked opponent that was playing on its home turf as postseason play opened in the Magnolia State.
Cooper blasted her second home run of the season to cut into Jones County Junior College's lead, but the Bobcats pulled away late and claimed a 12-4 victory on Friday in the first round of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) State Playoffs at Community Bank Park.
Jones County, which sits at No. 2 in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) poll, leads the best-of-three series 1-0. Game two is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday with a third meeting to follow at approximately 3 p.m., if necessary.
Cooper stepped to the plate in the fourth inning and lifted a a three ball, one strike pitch from Samantha Buller over the left field fence just to side of the scoreboard. The Houston native's solo shot cut Northeast's deficit to just two runs at 6-4.
"It was pretty big. I knew I had to do something to get my team up," Cooper said. "I was just simply trying to make contact and put the bat on the ball and it turned into a home run. It felt really good."
Buller (23-1), though, rebounded from that point and retired eight out of the final nine Tigers that she faced. The right-hander went the distance for the Bobcats with five strikeouts and four hits allowed.
Jones County scored the last six runs of the contest over a period of three innings. Reagan Gavin started the streak in the bottom of the fourth with her third hit and fourth RBI of the evening.
Brittany Seale poked a single just over the head of Northeast first baseman Avery Springer that landed squarely on the chalk in the fifth to plate CC Lawn and extend the Bobcats' advantage to 8-4.
The fourth error of the day by the Tigers made the score 9-4 before Jones County (42-2) wrapped up the game early one inning later due to the run rule.
Tori Dew added her 91st RBI, which is tops in the entire nation, on a sacrifice fly to make it 10-4 in favor of the Bobcats. Lauren Holifield then accounted for the final two runs one batter later on an opposite field single.
"You've got to tip your cap to Jones," said Northeast head coach Jody Long. "Offensively, no doubt top to bottom they're probably one of the best clubs in the state. Our pitchers threw well, but defensively we shot ourselves in the foot."
Abigail Rish (0-1) garnered her inaugural start of the 2014 campaign for the Tigers. The East Webster High School product walked four, but did not give up an earned run in 0.2 innings of work.
"We threw something at them that was different," Long said. "It almost worked, but I've always told our kids that close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. We just weren't able to pull it off."
Chelsea Buntin and Trenisha King came out of the bullpen and tossed the final 4.2 frames for Northeast. The duo combined to allow five earned runs in that span.
The Tigers (21-26) struck first and shocked Jones County by plating three runs in their initial at bat. Bianca Chagolla singled for the 99th base knock of her illustrious career and King reached on an error to set up the big inning.
Bre Agnew delivered for Northeast moments later with a single that landed between a sprinting second baseman and centerfielder. Chagolla slid into home plate safely to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
Whittney Gee then placed a flyball into right field that was dropped to clear the bags and extend Northeast's advantage to 3-0.
However, the lead was short lived after the Bobcats plated six runs in the latter half of the frame. Gavin and Lawn both had RBI hits to help Jones County leap ahead 6-3.
"I'm proud of them for coming in here and competing," said Long. "I told our kids afterwards that our goal tomorrow is to be here once it gets dark."