LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The Jacksonville State softball team bounced back after a 4-0 loss to Arkansas to down Virginia 6-2 and earn a Friday split on the first day of the Citrus Classic at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.
After the shutout earlier in the day to the Southeastern Conference's Razorbacks, the Gamecocks (7-5) came to life in the nightcap to plate six runs on eight hits against the Cavaliers of the Atlantic Coast Conference. After a win over Virginia Tech on Sunday, Friday's win over UVA gives JSU two wins over ACC foes in less than a week.
Against the Cavaliers, freshman
Jordan Bullock went 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBI to lead JSU at the plate. Senior
Sara Borders and junior
Cadi Oliver each posted a 2-for-3 game, with Oliver scoring and driving in a run.
Oliver got the scoring started for JSU with a bunt single in the first that plated
Emily Woodruff and sparked a three-run inning for the Gamecocks. Senior
Savannah Sloan reached on an error that scored Bullock, and an RBI ground out from sophomore
Jamie McGuire scored Oliver and gave JSU an early 3-0 lead.
Another UVA error in the second inning allowed another run to score and pushed JSU to an early 4-0 advantage.
The Cavaliers would cut their deficit in half in the home half of the second on a two-run double from Megan Harris, but the Gamecocks turned to the bullpen and
Whitney Gillespie (3-2) shut UVA down from there.
The freshman from Pelham, Ala., allowed just one hit over the final 5.2 innings to earn the win. She struck out seven and walked two in relief of
Logan Green, who allowed two runs on three hits in 1.1 innings in the circle.
Andie Formby tossed all seven frames for UVA, allowing six runs, five earned, on eight hits and four walks. She struck out just one JSU batter in the loss.
In the opener, the Razorbacks got on the board early and didn't look back. A Sydney Wright sac fly in the first put them up 1-0 and a two-run single from Devon Wallace made it 3-0 in the third.
JSU wouldn't be able to get anything going against Wright in the circle. She struck out five and allowed just four singles in seven scoreless innings to earn the win. Gillespie took the loss after surrendering three runs on four hits in 1.1 innings before giving way to
Logan Green. The sophomore tossed the final 5.2 innings, allowing a run on two hits. She struck out three and walked two.
Wallace singled in the game's final run in the seventh to cap a 3-for-4 game for Arkansas. Bullock was one of four Gamecocks with a single at the plate for the Gamecocks.
