SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Jacksonville State softball team jumped on Drexel in the final game of the Savannah State Lady Tiger Invitational on Sunday but couldn't hold off a late rally in a 10-9 loss.
The Gamecocks (2-2) scored two in the first and then opened up a 9-2 lead by the top of the fifth, but the Dragons (2-2) scored four in each the fifth and sixth innings to pull off the comeback win.
Junior
Taylor Sloan went 5-for-5 and was a homer shy of the cycle to lead the Gamecock offense. The Warrior, Ala., native tripled, doubled and singled three times to score four runs and drive in two. Senior
Ella Denes was 3-for-5 with a double, JSU's only other extra base hit in the game.
JSU rattled off 14 hits all together, with sophomore
Whitney Gillespie and junior
Emily Church recording two apiece.
Jax State scored two in each of the first, third and fourth innings to take a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the fourth, where Drexel got one back. A three-run top of the fifth extended JSU's lead to seven, but a four-run bottom of the fifth turned momentum in the Dragons' favor.
They would use that momentum to plate four more in the home half of the sixth to take their first lead of the day at 10-9.
Junior
Taylor West started the game for JSU but was pulled with two outs in the fifth after allowing six runs, only two earned, on seven hits and seven walks. Senior
Casey Akenberger (1-1) entered in relief and pitched an inning, allowing four runs on four hits to suffer the loss. Freshman
Kirsten Titus entered to get the final out of the bottom of the sixth.
Katie Haley (2-0) earned the win for Drexel, tossing two scoreless innings and allowing just one hit and striking out three. Janelle Ladrido led Drexel at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI.
JSU will return to action next weekend in the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic at Walt Disney World's Wide World of Sports Complex. The tough field will pit the Gamecocks against three Southeastern Conference powerhouses, including the tourney opener against No. 15 Missouri at 12:15 p.m. on Friday. The six-game schedule will also see JSU take on No. 12 Georgia and No. 1 Florida.
