Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

HAMMOND, La. – The bats came to life in the nightcap of the first day of the Jacksonville State softball teams' 2013 season, when an 11-1 rout of Louisiana Tech earned the Gamecocks a split after dropping a 5-2 decision to St. Louis earlier on Friday in the Southeastern Louisiana Lion Classic.

After leaving nine runners on base in the earlier loss to the Billikens (1-0), the Gamecocks (1-1) stranded just one runner in their mercy-rule win over the Bulldogs (0-2). They got five RBI each from senior Kelci Johnston and junior Kalee Tabor, while freshman Casey Akenberger stifled the La Tech bats in her collegiate debut.

JSU got things going early against La Tech, using a six-run first inning to set the tone for the five-inning win. The Gamecocks rattled off six hits in the big inning, including a two-run double from Johnston that was followed by a three-run blast from Tabor, her first in a two-home run game.

A Lake Mary, Fla., native and Florida Junior College Player of the Year a year ago at Seminole State college, Tabor also belted a two-run homer in the second inning that put the Gamecocks up 9-1.

Johnston also homered in the win, a two-run shot in the fourth that highlighted her 3-for-3 game. The Northport, Ala., native also doubled in a run in the second. She scored three times.

Freshman Cadi Oliver had the Gamecocks' other RBi in the win, the first of her career, while senior Krystal Ruth added two hits and two runs scored.

Akenberger (1-0), a freshman from Bowling Green, Ohio, had all the offense she needed in her debut. She struck out three and walked three in a one-run, four-hit complete game.

Erin Klipp (0-1) took the loss for the Bulldogs after surrendering seven runs on six hits in just two innings of work. Klipp led La Tech at the plate, going 2-for-2 and scoring the Bulldogs' lone run.

In the first game of the day, a four-run second inning did in Tiffany Harbin and the Gamecocks on what was nearly a record-setting day. The junior from Hazel Green struck out a career-high 15 Billikens, one shy of the school record and making her the fourth player in school history to fan at least 15 batters in a game.

She allowed five runs on six hits, four of which came in the first two innings. She settled down to allow just three base runners after the difference-making second inning.

The Gamecocks couldn't push anything across on offense. They got two in the second on an RBI double from Kelci Johnston and a run-scoring triple from Savannah Sloan, but left a total of eight runners on over the final five innings.

Johnston was 2-for-3 with a run scored in the game for JSU.

After JSU's two-run second gave the Gamecocks a 2-1 lead, the Billikens started working on their answer. A walk, hit-by-pitch and a bunt single loaded the bases and set up the big blow, a three-run double from Jessica Van Nostrand that was followed by an RBI single from Kelsey Biggs that gave them the 5-2 lead.

Harbin struck out 11 batters from that point in a game that saw all but one SLU batter fan at least once. Brianna Lore grabbed the win for the Billikens, allowing two runs on six hits in four innings, while Laney Kneib earned a save by holding JSU scoreless on one hit over the final three frames.

Jessica Buschjost and Erin Harcar each picked up two hits to lead St. Louis.

The Gamecocks continue play in the Lion Classic on Saturday with a 10 a.m. game with Southern and a 3 p.m. matchup with Nicholls State.