JSU-JMU BOX SCORE

KNOXVILLE, Ga. – The Jacksonville State softball team did everything right in its first elimination game of the NCAA Knoxville Regional on Saturday, when the Gamecocks rolled to a 6-0 win over James Madison to advance to play Nebraska in a game that was pushed back to 10:30 a.m. CT on Sunday because of rain.

The second-seeded Gamecocks and the third-seeded Huskers will play to decide who will face host Tennessee in Sunday's regional title game, which will be played immediately after the completion of the JSU-Nebraska contest.

Senior Karla Pittman held the Dukes (35-16) to just three hits in her complete-game shutout, while senior Allie Barker went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a walk and a sacrifice fly at the plate to spark a 14-hit barrage by the Gamecocks (40-14).

The 14 hits by JSU were the most against the JMU pitching staff this season, going two better than the 12 that Jacksonville State picked up in its Feb. 27 win over the Dukes, a game that also was played at Tennessee's Lee Stadium.

Senior Courtney Underwood drove in two runs in her 3-for-5 outing, while junior Chrissy O'Neal and senior Jackie Jarman also rattled off two hits.

Pittman (16-3) threw just 98 pitches, 66 for strikes, in her eighth shutout of the season. The North Canton, Ohio, native struck out six and walked three in the winning effort.

James Madison's two all-conference pitchers didn't fare so well against the bats of JSU. Starter Jenny Clohan tossed a total of 3.2 innings and allowed three runs, one earned, on seven hits in the process. Meredith Felts came on in relief and surrendered three runs on seven hits, while striking out three and walking three.

The Gamecocks left six runners on base through the first three innings before finally breaking a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth. Junior Hillary Downs' infield single started the scoring by plating Jarman from third. Junior Nikki Prier drove in Downs later in the inning on a single to right, and Barker's sac fly in the ensuing at bat scored O'Neal and gave JSU a 3-0 lead.

The Gamecocks added another in the fourth on an O'Neal double down the left field line that plated junior Mary Beth Ledbetter from second.

JSU put the game away in the seventh, when Underwood tripled off of the right field wall to drive in Downs and Barker and give Pittman a 6-0 cushion going into the bottom of the seventh.