BOX SCORE

JACKSONVILLE – The top-seeded Jacksonville State softball team's run in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament came to an end on Friday night, when the No. 4 seed UT Martin pulled off a 2-0 win in an elimination game at University Field.

The Gamecocks (39-13) managed just three hits off of UTM pitcher Paij Lintz, while the Skyhawks (35-22) put just enough offense on the board to snap a 16-game losing skid to JSU, one that dated back to the 2004 conference tourney.

The Gamecocks entered the weekend ranked No. 34 in the NCAA RPI and No. 31 in the NFCA RPI, but they will have to hope for the long shot of an at-large bid to play in the NCAA Tournament. The field of 64 will be announced on Sunday at 9 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

Junior Chrissy O'Neal went 2-for-3 in the game to finish the tournament with a .600 (6-for-10) batting average that featured two home runs and three RBI.

Sophomore Ashley Eliasson (16-7) suffered the loss for the Gamecocks after surrendering two runs, one earned, on three hits in four innings of work. Senior Karla Pittman was perfect over the final two innings for JSU.

The Skyhawks took advantage of an error by Mary Beth Ledbetter in the first to take a 1-0 lead on an unearned run. Laurie Lindow followed the miscue with a double off of the wall in left to score Megan Williams from second. They doubled that lead in the home half of the fourth, when Savannah Roberts hit the first pitch of the frame over the wall in left to give the Skyhawks a 2-0 lead.

UT Martin will advance to face Tennessee Tech at 10 a.m. on Saturday to see who plays Southeast Missouri in the 12:30 p.m. championship game.