JSU vs. GT BOX SCORE
JSU vs. PURDUE BOX SCORE

WOODSTOCK, Ga. – The Jacksonville State softball team couldn't put enough runs on the board on Saturday, when the Gamecocks dropped a pair of games to Georgia Tech and Purdue on the second day of the Buzz Classic.

The host Yellow Jackets got a gem from starter Kristen Adkins to open JSU's day with a 3-0 defeat before Purdue took advantage of some JSU errors to pull off a 4-3 extra-innings win in the nightcap. The Gamecocks (12-7) committed seven errors over the twinbill that led to a total of four unearned runs.

Senior Allie Barker accounted for the Gamecocks' only runs of the day with a solo home run that tied the second game of the day at 3-3. The Gadsden, Ala., native runs her career total to 28 round trippers, which ranks fourth in the school's record book.

In the early game, the Yellow Jackets took advantage of some JSU miscues in the top of the first, when it seemed Pittman would retire them in order. She got a ground out and a strike out to start the frame, but she hit a batter and misplayed a slow roller back to the circle to start a two-run inning that saw runs score on an infield single and a bases-loaded walk.

GT stretched it lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth, when Jen Yee singled and eventually scored on a grounder up the middle from Blair Shimandle.

The Gamecocks were able to get three hits in the first two frames, but Adkins (5-3) settled in after that. She retired the next 10 batters and 17 of the Gamecocks' final 20 hitters to earn her first shut out of the season. She would strike out just two Gamecocks while surrendering six hits.

Pittman (2-1) suffered a tough-luck defeat after allowing three runs, just one earned, on four hits in her third complete game of the year. The native of North, Canton, Ohio, walked one, hit one and struck out six in the loss.

Juniors Chrissy O'Neal and Hillary Downs accounted for four of the Gamecocks' six hits by each going 2-for-3. Fellow juniors Nikki Prier and Mary Beth Ledbetter each recorded a hit in three at bats, also.

In the second game of the day, the Boilermakers broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third on a single to left by Candace Curtis that scored Kelly Miller from second.

The Gamecocks threatened in the top of the fourth, when a Downs double put runners at second and third with one out, but Alcocer struck out Jackie Jarman and Allison Svoboda to get out of the jam.

The JSU offense set the same stage in the fifth, but Barker made it count. She belted a three-run homer down the line in left, putting the Gamecocks on top for the first time during the day.

The lead didn't last long, as the Boilermakers' Christina Trauger tied it in the home half of the sixth with her first home run of the season, a solo shot that easily cleared the wall in right center.

The Gamecocks couldn't push one across in the eighth, but a pair of errors proved costly for JSU in the home half. Senior Melissa Dowling, who entered the game in the inning, got Miller to line out to short with runners on first and second and one down, but a Ledbetter attempt to double off Ashley Barr at first hit the runner and allowed the Boilermakers to put runners at second and third. Liane Horiuchi then hit a chopper to short that got to Ledbetter between hops and bounced into left field, allowing Suzie Rzegocki to score the game winner.

Dowling (4-2) suffered the loss after allowing the unearned run on just one hit. Sophomore Ashley Eliasson pitched the first seven frames for JSU, surrendering three runs, two earned, on six hits and four walks. She struck out four.

Rzegocki (8-2) pitched the final two innings to earn the win for Purdue. She allowed just one walk after starter Dana Alcocer gave up three runs on eight hits in her six innings of work.

The Gamecocks will round up their weekend on Sunday at 9 p.m. CT, when they take on Indiana State.