JACKSONVILLE, Ala. — Jacksonville State kept its perfect Ohio Valley Conference record intact on Saturday, when the Gamecocks swept a doubleheader with SIUE.
A 4-run inning in both games provided enough spark to extend the Gamecocks' season-long winning streak to eight games with a 4-2 win in the opener and a 6-3 victory in the nightcap.
In game one, The Gamecocks (16-13, 7-0 Ohio Valley Conference) broke open a scoreless tie with the Cougars (9-16, 3-4 OVC) in the home half of the third, when a two-run double from
Emily Church and a two-run home run by
Jamie McGuire gave them a 4-0 lead.
Whitney Gillespie (4-1) sat down the first six SIUE batters she faced en route to a complete-game win. She would allow two runs, one earned, on five hits in her seven innings that saw her strike out five and walk three.
The Cougars got an unearned run in the fourth and another run in the seventh before Gillespie closed the door on her fourth-straight win in the circle and her second complete game in as many days.
Taylor Sloan, Church and McGuire each finished with two hits for Jacksonville State. Gillespie and
Jordan Bullock rounded out the hits for the Gamecocks with one apiece.
SIUE ace Baylee Douglass (4-6) was tagged with the loss in the circle after surrendering four runs on eight hits in six frames. She struck out three and didn't issue a walk.
In game two, SIUE jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after the first inning and a half, but JSU pulled to within one after scoring two in the bottom of the second thanks to a Bullock RBI triple and an
Emily Woodruff double on back-to-back pitches.
It wasn't until an emotionally charged fourth inning that Jacksonville State took the lead for good.
After loading the bases with no outs,
Ella Denes roped a single into right field to tie the game. Bullock put the Gamecocks ahead when she raced home on a wild pitch and set up
Stephanie Lewis' two-run single to extend JSU's lead to 6-3.
Coming out of the bullpen,
Taylor West (4-4) pitched five scoreless innings to earn the win. She allowed just three hits, struck out two and did not issue a walk.
Casey Akenberger started the second game and allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits.
The Cougars started Ashley Koziol (5-10), who suffered the loss after allowing five runs on six hits in three innings before Douglass came in to pitch the final three innings, allowing an unearned run on four hits and two walks.
Leading Jacksonville State offensively was Lewis, Bullock and Woodruff, each two hits. Denes, Sloan, Church and Gillespie had one hit apiece.
Jacksonville State returns to OVC play on Saturday, when the Gamecocks start a three-game series at Tennessee State in Nashville. They will play a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday, April 3. JSU will return to University Field on April 14, when it plays host to Alabama A&M.
