COLUMBUS, Ga. – The No. 7-ranked Johnson County Community College softball team were on the short end of a pair of one-run games on the opening day of the NFCA Classic in Columbus, Georgia Friday. The Cavaliers opened with an extra inning 11-10 setback to No. 11-ranked Pearl River Community College, followed by a 10-9 loss to fourth-ranked Jones College.
In the opener, Johnson County out hit Pearl River and belted six extra base including four home runs, to just two extra base hits for the Wildcats.
Freshman outfielder Katie Kolarik belted two homers, a solo shot in the third and a three-run blast in the fifth, driving in four runs.
Freshman Reagan Neitzel got JCCC on the board in the top of the first with a solo home run, her fourth on the season.
Pearl River answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning, but Johnson County plated five runs in the second to take a 6-1 advantage. The biggest blow in the innings was a three-run shot over the center field fence by freshman catcher Spencer Habig, her first of her early career. Sophomore shortstop Jaylee Jefferson also had a double that drove in two runs.
After being held scoreless in the bottom of the second, Pearl River scored at least one run in each of the next six innings to pull out the victory.
In the second game, Johnson County accumulated 12 hits but still found themselves a run shy when the final out was recorded. Leading 6-5 entering the top of the seventh after a two-run homer by Neitzel, Jones scored five runs on six hits to flip the game and take a 10-6 lead.
Despite the four-run deficit, Johnson County almost came all the way back, plating three to pull within a run, but the Cavaliers ran out of outs.
Neitzel finished the game with three RBI. Freshman catcher Maddie Murray and sophomore outfielder Haley Bryant each collected three hits, sophomore shortstop Izzy Carter went 2-for-4 with two RBI and freshman outfielder Janelle Lang had an RBI double.
Sophomore right-hander Brielle Dee went the distance, allowing 10 runs off 11 hits with six strikeouts.
Johnson County returns action on Saturday when they take on St. Johns River State College, the No. 1-ranked team in NJCAA Division II, and Gulf Coast State College, the No. 11-ranked team in Division I women's softball.