BOX SCORE

JACKSONVILLE – A pair of Auburn home runs spoiled the Jacksonville State softball team's home opener on Tuesday evening, when the Tigers handed the Gamecocks a 5-2 defeat at University Field.

The Tigers (5-1) got a leadoff home run from Myesha Finney in the first and a three-run homer from Kyndall White in the fourth to post enough offense for their staff to work with. The Gamecocks (3-2) countered Auburn's first attack, but couldn't push any more across, falling in front of a large crowd of 1,704.

Jacksonville State scattered its four hits, which were highlighted by a solo home run from senior Courtney Underwood. The Huntsville, Ala., native's blast to right-center field broke a four-game homerless streak for the JSU offense, its longest since the 2007 season. Junior Nikki Prier drove in the Gamecocks' other run on an RBI double, while senior Kayla Collins' double and junior Chrissy O'Neal's single accounted for their other hits.

The top of the order for Auburn proved big. The Tigers' two-hole hitter, White was 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored, while Finney, the team's leadoff batter, went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Anna Thompson (2-1) earned the win for Auburn in relief, holding the Gamecocks hitless in four innings of work. Jenee Loree tossed the first three innings for Auburn, allowing two runs on four hits. She fanned five JSU batters, while Thompson struck out four.

Sophomore Ashley Eliasson (1-1) was tagged with the loss for the Gamecocks, allowing five runs, four earned, on four hits in three and one-thirds innings. She walked two and struck out four before giving way to senior Melissa Dowling, who held Auburn to a hit over the final three and two-thirds innings.

Auburn jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first on Finney's homer and an RBI double from Tatiana Fernandez. Underwood cut the lead to 2-1 with her solo shot in the home half of the first, and Prier tied it in the third on her two-out double that plated O'Neal.

The Tigers answered in the third, when White homered over the wall in right-center, and the Gamecocks wouldn't be able to threaten the rest of the way.

Jacksonville State will be back at home on Wednesday at 5 p.m., when the Gamecocks host former OVC rival Samford in a single game. Admission is free for all fans.