FINAL STATS

JACKSONVILLE – A pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning by Murray State's Leslie Bridges did in the Jacksonville State softball team on Sunday, handing the Gamecocks 7-5 loss on Senior Day at University Field.

In a game that saw the Gamecocks (36-18, 21-9 Ohio Valley Conference) answer the Racers (23-26, 13-15 OVC) twice before, they didn't have an answer for Bridges' first career home run. The two-run shot not only won the series for the Racers but also propelled them into the sixth-seed in this week's OVC Tournament in Charleston, Ill. The Gamecocks held on to the No. 2 seed in the six-team field and will open play on Thursday evening after a bye in the morning round.

MSU jumped to an early lead after four walks by freshman starter Tiffany Harbin and a pair of singles led to three first-inning runs, but JSU was able to answer. After two quick outs in the bottom of the second, the Gamecocks watched the next six batters reach, with an RBI double from junior Abbey Stepp getting the scoring started. Junior Tess Echols and sophomore Krystal Ruth followed with back-to-back run-scoring singles to tie it at 3-3.

Junior Kristin Graham entered the circle with two on and no outs in the third and got three strikeouts to get out of the jam. Murray State got to the native of Warner Robins, Ga., in the sixth, scoring an earned run on a Lauren Buch double and an unearned one on a Stephanie Mattocks single that gave the Racers a 5-3 lead. The runs were the first off of Graham in the week, one that saw her throw 15.1 scoreless frames before that point.

It took no time for JSU to answer again. The Gamecocks cut the deficit to one on a bases loaded walk by senior Sallie Beth Burch and then tied it on a squeeze bunt by freshman Hayden Crawford.

Murray took the lead for good in the seventh, when Bridges deposited senior Ashley Eliasson's 3-2 pitch past the scoreboard in left. Eliasson (3-5) suffered her second loss of the series after surrendering two runs on two hits in just one-third of an inning. Harbin relieved her and ended up allowing three runs on five hits and a career-high six walks in 2.2 innings of work. Graham tossed four innings and gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits in the process.

Madysen Wilton recorded just two outs but earned the win for the Racers, who re-entered starter Shelby Kosmecki to earn the save after a perfect seventh.

The Gamecocks will open the tournament at 3 p.m. CT on Thursday against the winner of the 10 a.m. game between No. 3 seed UT Martin and No. 6 seed Murray State. The double-elimination tournament will be held at Eastern Illinois' Williams Field.