Tuesday, March 27
JACKSONVILLE
2 p.m.
Jacksonville State University
8
vs
7
MIDDLE TENNESSEE - Game 1
Freshman Shelby Holley went 3-for-6 in Tuesday's doubleheader
Gamecocks Split Softball Twinbill With Middle Tennessee
3/27/2012 8:22:00 PM | Softball
GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE
JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State softball team held on for an 8-7 win over Middle Tennessee in the opener of Tuesday's doubleheader at University Field, but the Blue Raiders stormed back with a 10-2 win that split the twinbill.
In the opener, the Gamecocks scored three in a the first and another in the second to build a lead and held on. Senior Abbey Stepp drew a bases loaded walk to score the first run and was followed by a two-run single from junior Jessica Guy to give sophomore starter Tiffany Harbin a 3-0 lead. The fourth run came in the second on an illegal pitch by reliever Kailey McDougal that plated senior Kaycee Crow from third.
MTSU put together a rally in the third that cut JSU's lead to 4-3, but the Gamecocks answered with three of their own in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded, Crow's two-out bloop found grass in left field and then rolled past left fielder Nina Dever, cleared the bases and gave JSU a 7-3 lead.
After the Blue Raiders got one in the fourth, JSU answered again with an RBI single from Guy that kept the lead at 8-4. MTSU cut its deficit to 8-5 in the fifth on a Natalie Ysais solo homer and then mounted a rally in the seventh before falling a run short. The visitors scored a pair and had the tying run in scoring position, but Harbin worked out of it.
The sophomore from Hazel Green, Ala., improved to 7-2 on the season with the complete game. She allowed seven runs but only three earned on seven hits, while striking out seven batters. Caty Jutson (5-8) was tagged with the loss after surrendering four runs, one earned, on three hits and three walks in 1.2 innings. McDougal pitched the final 4.1 innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on eight hits.
Eight of JSU's nine starters recorded at least one hit in the opening game, with Crow, Guy and junior Kelci Johnston grabbing two apiece. Guy drove in three runs to pace JSU's offensive production.
In the final game of the day, the Blue Raiders jumped on JSU with three runs on five first inning hits and never looked back. The Gamecocks cut their lead to one on a two-run homer from freshman Shelby Holley in the home half of the first, but it would be all MTSU from there. Holley's OVC-leading 14th home run puts the Pisgah, Ala., native in a tie for third in the national rankings.
The Blue Raiders added three in the second, one in the third and three more in the fourth to grab the run-rule win and split the doubleheader.
Sophomore Savannah Hennings (2-6) suffered the loss in the circle after giving up six runs on eight hits in 1.2 innings. Senior Sam Snow allowed the last four on seven hits in 3.1 innings in the circle. Shelby Stinnett (5-2) tossed all five innings for MTSU and held JSU to two runs on seven hits.
Holley paced JSU at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk and two RBI. She has now reached base in all 32 games this season.
The Gamecocks will wrap up a six-game homestand on Thursday, when they host Tennessee Tech at 3 p.m. in the final game of the three-game season series. JSU won the first two meetings with its OVC rival, sweeping a doubleheader in Cookeville, Tenn., on March 21.
JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State softball team held on for an 8-7 win over Middle Tennessee in the opener of Tuesday's doubleheader at University Field, but the Blue Raiders stormed back with a 10-2 win that split the twinbill.
In the opener, the Gamecocks scored three in a the first and another in the second to build a lead and held on. Senior Abbey Stepp drew a bases loaded walk to score the first run and was followed by a two-run single from junior Jessica Guy to give sophomore starter Tiffany Harbin a 3-0 lead. The fourth run came in the second on an illegal pitch by reliever Kailey McDougal that plated senior Kaycee Crow from third.
MTSU put together a rally in the third that cut JSU's lead to 4-3, but the Gamecocks answered with three of their own in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded, Crow's two-out bloop found grass in left field and then rolled past left fielder Nina Dever, cleared the bases and gave JSU a 7-3 lead.
After the Blue Raiders got one in the fourth, JSU answered again with an RBI single from Guy that kept the lead at 8-4. MTSU cut its deficit to 8-5 in the fifth on a Natalie Ysais solo homer and then mounted a rally in the seventh before falling a run short. The visitors scored a pair and had the tying run in scoring position, but Harbin worked out of it.
The sophomore from Hazel Green, Ala., improved to 7-2 on the season with the complete game. She allowed seven runs but only three earned on seven hits, while striking out seven batters. Caty Jutson (5-8) was tagged with the loss after surrendering four runs, one earned, on three hits and three walks in 1.2 innings. McDougal pitched the final 4.1 innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on eight hits.
Eight of JSU's nine starters recorded at least one hit in the opening game, with Crow, Guy and junior Kelci Johnston grabbing two apiece. Guy drove in three runs to pace JSU's offensive production.
In the final game of the day, the Blue Raiders jumped on JSU with three runs on five first inning hits and never looked back. The Gamecocks cut their lead to one on a two-run homer from freshman Shelby Holley in the home half of the first, but it would be all MTSU from there. Holley's OVC-leading 14th home run puts the Pisgah, Ala., native in a tie for third in the national rankings.
The Blue Raiders added three in the second, one in the third and three more in the fourth to grab the run-rule win and split the doubleheader.
Sophomore Savannah Hennings (2-6) suffered the loss in the circle after giving up six runs on eight hits in 1.2 innings. Senior Sam Snow allowed the last four on seven hits in 3.1 innings in the circle. Shelby Stinnett (5-2) tossed all five innings for MTSU and held JSU to two runs on seven hits.
Holley paced JSU at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk and two RBI. She has now reached base in all 32 games this season.
The Gamecocks will wrap up a six-game homestand on Thursday, when they host Tennessee Tech at 3 p.m. in the final game of the three-game season series. JSU won the first two meetings with its OVC rival, sweeping a doubleheader in Cookeville, Tenn., on March 21.
Saturday, March 14
Saturday, March 14
Wednesday, March 11
Thursday, February 19
