GAME ONE STATS  |  GAME TWO STATS

BIRMINGHAM – The Jacksonville State softball team used power early and clutch hitting late to roll to a non-conference doubleheader sweep of Samford at Bulldog Field on Thursday.

In the opener, the Gamecocks (16-6) used four home runs and a dominant pitching performance from junior Kristin Graham to cruise to a 10-1 win in six innings before scoring five two-out runs in the nightcap to hand the Bulldogs (3-21) a 7-3 defeat.

Junior Abbey Stepp carried a JSU offense that hit six home runs with a 4-for-6 day that saw her belt two home runs and drive in seven runs. The Versailles, Ky., entered the afternoon in a slump but broke out of it in a big way by homering twice and driving in five runs in the first game.

Senior Amanda Crow also had a big day at the plate, homering in each game and driving in four total runs on the day. The Sharpsburg, Ga., native continued a red-hot month of March, one that has seen her hit .432 with seven home runs and 17 RBI.

In the opener, the Gamecocks jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, thanks to a three-run home run from Stepp that easily cleared the wall in the right-center power alley. Her fifth home run of the year but just her third hit in her last 16 at bats followed a hit batter and a bunt single by Amanda and Kaycee Crow to put JSU out front.

Stepp's next time up ended in the same result, but this time saw her two-run blast tower over the wall in straightaway center. Her sixth long ball of the season followed a two-out single from Sallie Beth Burch and gave JSU a 5-0 lead in the top of the fourth.

The Bulldogs finally got something going against the Gamecock pitching staff in the home half of the fourth, when Lakan Smith's leadoff single broke a string of 13.1 hitless frames against the JSU staff. Smith would eventually score on a Nicole Bobrowski fielder's choice to cut JSU's lead to 5-1 and score the first run against JSU in over 14 innings this year.

Amanda Crow continued her hot stretch in the fifth with a three-run home run, the seventh of the year and the sixth in the month of March for the senior third baseman that gave the Gamecocks an 8-1 lead.

Freshman Hayden Crawford pushed the JSU lead to 10-1 in the top of the sixth, thanks to her second career home run and the second in the last four games. A line drive over the wall in center scored Kelci Johnston, who started the inning with a one-out single.

Graham (1-0) held the Bulldogs to an unearned run on two hits through five innings in the circle. The Warner Robins, Ga., native struck out four and walked just one before giving way to senior Ashley Eliasson, who tossed a perfect sixth inning to seal the mercy-rule win.

Robyn Harmon (0-8) suffered the loss for Samford after giving up five runs on four hits in just 3.2 innings in the circle. Nicole Bobrowski gave up the other five runs on six hits in 2.1 innings.

In the nightcap, the Gamecocks took advantage of a two-out mistake to grab a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. A slow roller by Amanda Crow was bobbled by pitcher Emily Waters to extend the inning, and Stepp capitalized. She blooped a single over second baseman Julianne Surane's head to score Graham, who started the two-out rally with a walk, from second.

Stepp drove in the team's next run in the top of the third with a sac fly to right that drove in Crawford from third. The freshman from Sparkman, Ala., got things going with a walk, then stole second and advanced to third on a ground out to set up Stepp's seventh RBI of the day.

The Bulldogs entered the home half of the third with just four total hits in 19 innings against JSU this season and put together a string of five-straight hits in the inning. The rally was highlighted by a three-run home run by Harmon that gave them a 3-2 lead, their first over JSU in 2011.

The lead was short-lived, as JSU answered with two in the top of the fourth to reclaim a 4-3 advantage. Both runs came across on a two-out single from Crawford that drove in Tess Echols and Krystal Ruth. Burch stretched the lead to 5-3 in the fifth, thanks to another two-out hit, a single that drove in Stepp from second.

Eight consecutive Bulldog batters were retired by JSU reliever Tiffany Harbin until to bottom of the sixth, when Aaren Fisher led things off with a triple off the right field wall. Harbin settled in and got out of the jam, getting a pair of shallow pop ups before striking out Tessa Frates to end the Samford threat.

Amanda Crow struck again in the top of the seventh with a leadoff homer, a line drive over the wall in center that gave JSU a 6-3 lead. Two batters later, Kaycee Crow belted a solo blast of her own to stretch the lead to 7-3.

Harbin (10-4) earned the win in 3.2 scoreless of relief work that saw her hold Samford to just one hit. Freshman Savanna Hennings started the game but was chased after surrendering three runs on six hits. Sophomore Hilary Phillips worked a perfect seventh to wrap things up.

Emily Waters (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up six runs, four earned, on nine hits in six innings in the circle. Kayla Burris worked the seventh and allowed a run on Kaycee Crow's home run.

The Gamecocks will return home on Saturday to start a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series with Morehead State at University Field. The set will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday with a doubleheader and will conclude with a 1 p.m. single game on Sunday. Admission is free to all JSU home games.