FINAL STATS

JACKSONVILLE – An eight-run fifth inning led a furious comeback by the Jacksonville State softball team on Sunday, when the Gamecocks handed Southeast Missouri a 13-8 defeat and won the Ohio Valley Conference series at University Field.

Senior Sallie Beth Burch and junior Tess Echols each drove in five runs to lead the Gamecocks (23-8, 10-1 OVC) to their second straight come-from-behind win over the Redhawks (9-18, 5-4 OVC). Sophomore Hilary Phillips earned her second win in relief in as many games for the Gamecocks, who trailed 7-2 with her in the circle.

The fifth saw 12 Gamecock batters come to the plate and was started by Junior Kristin Graham, who doubled as part of her 3-for-5 afternoon. The Warner Robins, Ga., native started the day with her 10th home run of the season and second of the series and wrapped up the weekend by going 6-for-10 with four RBI. Senior Amanda Crow drove in a pair of runs in the game to run her weekend total to eight RBI.

Sunday's heroics were led by Burch and Echols, the sixth and ninth batters in JSU's order, respectively. Burch, a native of Moulton, Ala., walked and singled in a run to get her day started and then drilled Shea Cothren's 2-2 pitch well over the fence in left to cut what was once a five-run deficit into just a 7-6 SEMO lead.

After a pair of singles by junior Kaycee Crow and sophomore Kelci Johnston, Echols stepped in to put JSU on top. The Fayetteville, Ga., native's two-run double hit the red tape at the top of the right field wall and gave JSU the lead for good. Amanda Crow's two-run single capped the big inning and Echols put an exclamation point on the comeback with a three-run homer in the sixth that gave JSU the deciding 13-8 advantage.

Phillips (5-0) held the Redhawks at bay to allow the comeback, holding an offense that plated seven runs in the first four innings to an unearned run on three hits over the final 3.2 innings. The Redhawks scored 20 runs over the three-game series but mustered just one unearned run against the Ider, Ala., native in her eight innings of work. They hit over .350 on every JSU pitcher they faced except Phillips, who limited SEMO's hitters to a .167 average.

Graham started the game in the circle but surrendered three runs on three hits in just two innings pitched. Senior Ashley Eliasson gave up four runs, two earned, on three hits before being chased after 1.1 innings.

SEMO's Alora Marble (4-5) was tagged with the loss after giving up three runs on three hits without recording an out. She factored in the decision in all three games in the 1-2 weekend for the Redhawks.

Renee Kertz went 2-for-2 with a solo home run for SEMO, her second long ball of the weekend, while Carmen Fowler drove in a team-high two runs in the game.

The Gamecocks will be back at home on Tuesday, when they host Southern in a single game at 4 p.m. at University Field. JSU will then host an OVC doubleheader with Tennessee Tech at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Admission is free to all JSU home softball games.