BOX SCORE

JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State softball team's 2009 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament didn't get off to the start the Gamecocks had hoped on Thursday, when they fell to fifth-seeded Tennessee Tech, 5-2, in the first round at University Field.

The Golden Eagles (26-29) got three runs over the third and fourth frames and added a pair of solo home runs in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach. The defending champion and top-seeded Gamecocks (38-12) managed just two runs on five hits and had three errors lead to three unearned TTU runs in their first OVC Tournament loss in two seasons.

Junior Chrissy O'Neal and freshman Meredith Sellers drove in the Gamecocks' only two runs, while seniors Allie Barker and Jackie Jarman and junior Hillary Downs joined them with one hit apiece.

Kaleigh Gates went 3-for-3 with a double, a homer and three RBI to pace a TTU offense that was shut out in each of its three games at JSU in the regular season. Maddie Schmissrauter (11-10) earned the win after holding JSU to a run on two hits in four innings in the circle. Holly Thomas tosses 2.2 innings to earn her first save of the year.

Senior Karla Pittman (15-2) suffered her loss to an OVC foe this season after surrendering three unearned runs on five hits in four innings in the circle. Sophomore Eliasson allowed two runs on two hits in the final three innings.

The Gamecocks put the first run on the board in the home half of the first, when freshman Meredith Sellers' one-out sac fly to left scored junior Chrissy O'Neal from third.

The Golden Eagles tied the score at 1-1 in the third, when first baseman Nikki Prier dropped a pop up from Callie Schmidt after being forced to run around baserunner Kaleigh Gates and attempting an over-the-shoulder grab. The error allowed Jordan Leff to score from third. Gates' bat drove in the Golden Eagles' next two runs in the fourth, when her bases loaded double plated Leff and Brooke Basten. All three runs were unearned, with the last two following an error by second baseman Courtney Underwood that extended the inning.

TTU got back-to-back solo homers from Lacie Coquerille and Gates to stretch the lead to 5-1, too many for the JSU offense to muster in the seventh. The Gamecocks were able to plate one on an O'Neal fielder's choice that scored Jarman from third.

JSU falls into the loser's bracket, where it will have to play sixth-seeded Eastern Illinois at 12:30 p.m. The game will be carried on the JSU Radio Network.