BOX SCORE

JACKSONVILLE – Junior Chrissy O'Neal went 3-for-3 with two solo homers to lead the Jacksonville State softball team to a 5-4 win in an elimination game in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on Friday at University Field.

O'Neal got the offense going for the top-seeded Gamecocks (39-12), while freshman Allison Svoboda finished off the No. 6 seed Panthers (25-29) with a sacrifice fly to center that scored Kaycee Crow and broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh.

Sophomore Ashley Eliasson (16-6) earned the win in relief for the Gamecocks after holding EIU to a run on four hits in 4.2 innings. The Vallejo, Calif., native struck out five and walked a pair in relief of senior Karla Pittman, who surrendered three runs on five hits in 2.1 frames.

Amber May (17-19) also pitched in relief and recorded all but one out for the Panthers in the losing effort. She gave up four runs, three earned, on nine hits, while walking two and striking out three.

Senior Jackie Jarman went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while junior Hillary Downs went 2-for-3 at the plate.

The Gamecocks wasted no time jumping on the Panthers. Leadoff hitter Chrissy O'Neal lined the third pitch of the game over the wall in straightaway center to put JSU up 1-0.

Jax State stretched the lead to 3-0 in the third inning, the first coming on a Allison Svoboda single that was misplayed in center by Angela Danca, allowing Allie Barker to score from first. Svoboda reach third on the miscue and scored on a bloop single from Jackie Jarman in the ensuing at bat.

The Panthers tied the game in the home half of the third on a bases-loaded triple from Kiley Holtz off of JSU starter Karla Pittman. EIU loaded the bases again with one out, but sophomore Ashley Eliasson entered the game and struck out Hailee Hanna and pinch hitter Ashley Anderton to get out of the jam.

O'Neal got the lead right back in the top of the fourth with a towering solo blast to right center. The homer made her just the third player in school history to hit two home runs in a game multiple times, joining teammate Hillary Downs and the Gamecocks' all-time home run leader Daniela Pappano.

EIU tied the game again in the home half of the fifth on an RBI double from Hayley Pieper that scored Sarah Coppert from second. JSU reclaimed the lead two innings later, when Svoboda's sacrifice fly to center scored Kaycee Crow from third and gave the Gamecocks a 5-4 lead. Crow was pinch running for Courtney Underwood, who led off the inning with a double to the gap in right center.

Melinda Jackson led off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the left side, but Eliasson sat down the next three batters in order to seal the win for JSU.

The Gamecocks advance in the loser's bracket of the tournament and will play again in the 5:30 p.m. game against fourth-seeded UT Martin.