JSU - CMU FINAL STATS  |  JSU - JU FINAL STATS

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Freshman Tiffany Harbin pitched the Jacksonville State softball team to a 2-1 win over Central Michigan and an early hole led to a 5-2 loss to Jacksonville University on Friday in the first day of the JU Invitational.

Harbin, a native of Hazel Green, Ala., limited the Chippewas to an unearned run on two hits and three walks in guiding the Gamecocks (4-3) to the opening win, while the Dolphins' Olivia Kline held the JSU bats at bay long enough for tourney host JU to create enough separation to hold on and hand JSU the split.

In the opening game of the day, a pair of sixth-inning sacrifice flies would be all that Harbin needed in her gem. Sophomore Krystal Ruth and freshman Hayden Crawford each flied to left to score junior Kaycee Crow and sophomore Hilary Phillips, respectively, turning a 1-0 JU lead into the deciding 2-1 JSU advantage.

Crow started the inning with a double to center and was followed by a single from senior Amanda Crow, who was replaced on the bases by Phillips. Ruth, freshman Tyris Branford and junior Tess Echols each singled to account for the rest of JSU's hits in the game.

An error by Amanda Crow to start the bottom of the first set up a sacrifice fly from Amanda Patrick that gave the Chippewas an early 1-0 lead on an unearned run. It would be all their offense would muster, as Harbin would allow just four baserunners from that point.

Harbin (1-2) put her first career complete game and her first collegiate win in the books by outdueling CMU starter Kari Seddon, who suffered a tough-luck loss. She allowed just two runs on five hits and struck out nine in six innings in the circle before Sarah Patterson came in to pitch a hitless seventh.

In the nightcap with the host Dolphins, the Gamecocks fell in too deep of a hole early and couldn't battle out of it. JU got to freshman starter Savanna Hennings with a Katie Kelly two-run home run and a Sarah Simon solo shot in the third that broke a scoreless tie and put the Gamecocks down 3-0. The Dolphins got another big hit from Simon in the fifth, a two-run double that gave them a 5-0 advantage.

JSU starter Olivia Kline had been cruising, allowing just one hit through the first four frames. The Gamecocks finally got something going in the home half of the fifth, when they got an unearned run on three hits and an error. After Kline hit Kaycee Crow and gave up a single to Harbin to lead off the sixth, she made way for reliever Sarah Sigrest, who was able to work her way through the next two innings and preserve the win.

Simon finished the game 3-for-4 with a double, home run and three RBI for JU, while the Gamecocks were led at the plate by Crawford's 2-for-3 outing. The native of Sparkman, Ala., also doubled and scored a run in the loss. Sophomore Kelci Johnston and junior Kristin Graham drove in a run apiece.

Hennings (1-1) suffered the loss for the Gamecocks after giving up five runs on nine hits in four innings in the circle. The Springville, Ala., native did strike out eight batters before being replaced by Phillips, who pitched a scoreless three frames to finish the game. Kline earned the win after allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits and striking out five in five innings.

The Gamecocks will play two more games on Saturday, beginning with another game with the Chippewas at 10 a.m. CT. They will wrap up the day at 4:45 p.m. against Florida A&M and finish the weekend on Sunday at 12 p.m. in a rematch with the Dolphins.