Errors prove costly as Jones County eliminates Northside 5-1

Four costly errors in the field and one on the base paths proved too much to overcome as Northside fell 5-1 to Jones County on Friday in the GHSA Class AAAAA state tournament.

The loss, Northside's second of the tournament, ended the Lady Patriots' season, which included the Region 1 championship, at 26-12.

The four defensive mistakes led to three unearned runs by Jones County. Allison Sievers was the tough-luck loser. She pitched six complete innings and was taken out after giving up a leadoff single in the seventh. Sievers allowed seven hits and only two earned runs.

"(The defense) has been solid all year," Northside coach Brandon Jenkins said. "But it is going to happen.

"Our pitcher, she pitched well enough to win."

Meanwhile, Northside collected seven hits, but had a difficult time coming up with the big hit against Jones County pitcher MacKenzie Barnes.

"We couldn't adjust to the changeup," Jenkins said. "We knew it was coming. She probably threw 50 percent or better changeups, and you got to keep your hands back and go middle away with it. We didn't do a good job of adjusting."

Jones County took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning on Cheyanne Mosteller's homer.

In the bottom of the inning, Northside appeared to take the lead when leadoff hitter Mary Horne hit a homer to center, her first of the season. She raced around the bases and caught Gabi Apiag, who had singled just before her. Horne caught her just before the two got to home plate. Horne pushed Apiag in the back and was called out for offensive interference. Apaig's run counted, and Horne was credited with a triple.

"I told (Horne) we wouldn't be here without her," Jenkins said. "(She is) not only a great leadoff (batter) and great second baseman, but she is definitely the leader of this program. We are scrappy because she is scrappy. We took on her attitude all year.

"It was definitely a momentum swing. She hit the home run, and we go ahead. We are excited, then they take home run away from us. The last three to four innings I think the game got a little too big for us."

Jenkins said this game would be a learning experience for his team, which loses just three players -- Madison Whipkey, Horne and Sievers.

"I told them the most important thing is remember this feeling," Jenkins said. "I think this will drive them to work hard in the offseason to get back here to do better than we did this year.

"It was a good season. We haven't been here (to the Elite 8) since 2009. Just getting to the Elite 8 was an honor, but I wish we were still playing."Friday at South Commons

Jones 001 111 1 --5 8 1

Northside 001 000 0 --1 7 4

WP--MacKenzie Barnes. LP--Allison Sievers. Hitting leaders--Jones County Cheyanne Mosteller 2-4, HR; MacKenzie Barnes 1-4, R; Madison Cavender 3-3, R; Sydney Lanford 1-3, R; Kaylee Skinner 1-3, RBI; Kaitlyn Towers 1-3, RBI. Northside Mary Horne 1-3, 3B, RBI; Emily Holmes 1-3; Hannah George 1-3; Jada Chadwick 1-3; Ciara Jesus 1-3; Gabi Apiag 2-3. Records--Jones County 24-15. Northside 26-12. Next--Northside, season over.

This story was originally published October 30, 2015 at 4:11 PM with the headline "Errors prove costly as Jones County eliminates Northside 5-1 ."