BOX SCORE

JACKSONVILLE – An 11-run third inning that featured four home runs propelled the Jacksonville State softball team to a 12-0 rout of Morehead State on Senior Day at University Field Sunday afternoon.

The Gamecocks (38-11, 19-2 Ohio Valley Conference) sent 16 batters to the plate in the big inning and watched freshman Allison Svoboda's grand slam spark back-to-back-to-back blasts that all but secured their regular season finale and the rubber game with the Eagles (34-18, 15-9 OVC).

Sophomore Ashley Eliasson (15-6) avenged a tough-luck loss she suffered to MSU on Saturday by holding the Eagles scoreless on just one hit through five innings in the circle. The Vallejo, Calif., native struck out five batters and didn't issue a walk in her 13th complete game and seventh shutout of the year.

After an Allie Barker solo home run in the first, the Gamecocks took a 1-0 lead into the third and ended the frame with a 12-run advantage. Eagles starter Alex Gjevre got junior Chrissy O'Neal to ground out to start the inning, and the wheels fell off from there. Junior Nikki Prier singled to start the rally and scored the first run of the inning after Gjevre issued three-straight walks, the last to freshman Meredith Sellers.

Sellers' free pass set the stage for Svoboda, whose fifth home run of the year easily cleared the wall in left and chased Gjevre, the reigning OVC Pitcher of the Year, from the game. She allowed six runs on three hits and five walks in just 2.1 innings in the circle.

The Eagles turned to Sarah Funston, who allowed solo homers to the first two batters she faced, senior Jackie Jarman and junior Mary Beth Ledbetter. Junior Hillary Downs scorched a line drive off of the wall in center and O'Neal reached when MSU center fielder Brittany Scheer dropped a lazy fly ball, setting up the fourth home run of the inning, a three-run shot by Prier to the gap in right center that put JSU up 11-0 and ended Funston's day before she recorded an out.

The Gamecocks got their other run three batters later, when pitcher Melissa Dowling, who was pinch hitting for Svoboda, roped a line drive off of the glove of third baseman Rebecca Butler to drive in Barker from third. Dowling's at bat marked the first of her career and produced the Bradenton, Fla., native's first career RBI.

Barker was 2-for-2 with a homer and a walk, while Prier went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Svoboda was 1-for-2 on the day with a team-high four RBI.

Gjevre (24-9) was tagged with the loss in the circle, and the Eagles fell from second place in the OVC standings into third behind Southeast Missouri.

The Gamecocks will host the 2009 OVC Softball Tournament at University Field. The three-day, double-elimination event will begin on Thursday at 10 a.m., with JSU playing its first game at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 per day and can be purchased at the gate or in advance at the JSU Ticket Office at Kennamer Hall. All students with a student ID from any of the OVC's schools will be admitted free of charge.