BOX SCORE

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Jacksonville State softball team rode a gem from sophomore Ashley Eliasson on Sunday morning to defeat Nebraska 4-1 and advance to the championship of the 2009 NCAA Knoxville Regional, where the Gamecocks will have to upend host Tennessee twice to advance to the Super Regionals.

Eliasson held the third-seeded Huskers (35-19) to a run on five hits in her 14th complete game and her seventh shutout of the season. The Vallejo, Calif., native improved to 17-7 on the year after striking out five and lifting the No. 2 seed Gamecocks (41-14) to their second regional championship game in as many years.

Junior Hillary Downs went 3-for-3 at the plate, while senior Courtney Underwood drove in a pair in a 2-for-3 outing to lead the JSU offense. Senior Allie Barker had one hit in three at bats, but it was a big one that left Lee Stadium for theGadsden, Ala., native's 11th of the season and the 34th of her career.

The win puts JSU in a familiar situation after the Gamecocks fell in the regional title game in Tuscaloosa, Ala., a year ago to No. 3 Alabama.

The Gamecocks took the lead in the top of the third, when Courtney Underwood's bases loaded single through the left side allowed Hillary Downs and Chrissy O'Neal to score and put JSU up 2-0.

Nebraska catcher Amanda Duran led off the home half of the fourth with a single and pinch runner Nikki Haget took advantage of three Eliasson wild pitches to score and cut the Gamecocks lead in half.

Allie Barker got the run back in the Gamecocks' ensuing at bat with a line drive that cleared the wall in right center and gave JSU a 3-1 advantage going into the bottom of the fifth. The Gamecocks got one more in Barker's at bat in the sixth, this time on a comebacker that was tossed to second baseman Julie Brechtel, who dropped what would have been the third out to allow O'Neal to score from third and give JSU a 4-1 advantage.

All-Big XII pitcher Molly Hill (25-15) was charged with the loss after the senior surrendered two runs on four hits in 3.1 innings of work. She struck out two and walked one before being relieved by Ashley Hagemann, who gave up a run on three hits in just under two innings. Tori Tyson tossed the remaining two innings and allowed an unearned run in the process.

Duran led the Huskers at the plate with a 2-for-3 effort.