PHOTO GALLERY
JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville State bounced back from an early 4-3 loss to rival Samford on Saturday, claiming an 8-4 win in the nightcap and a doubleheader split with the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs (10-7) rallied to pull off the win in the opener, snapping an 11-game losing streak to the Gamecocks (8-9) that dated back to April of 2007. Jax State quickly responded behind
Emily Church's two homers to win in the day's finale.
In game two, Jacksonville State wasted little time pulling ahead as Church drilled a two-run home run over the right-centerfield fence. The Gamecocks never surrendered the early lead.
Church added a second home run, a solo shot, in the bottom of the third.
Stephanie Lewis hit her first round-tripper on the season when she clubbed a 3-run bomb during the fifth inning. The Gamecocks added two insurance runs in the sixth when
Hayley Sims and Lewis both had RBI-collecting hits in the inning.
Samford cut the game two-deficit to three in the top half of the sixth when Brice hit a two-run home run, but Gamecocks answered in the bottom half. The Bulldogs tried to rally during the seventh by sending seven players to plate, but only scored one run.
The Bulldogs earned the game one victory after getting the game-winning run in the top of the seventh as Caitlin Bice drew a two-out, bases loaded walk to plate Madison Couch. Couch was the pinch-runner for Lexi Higgins, who led off the inning with a single through the left side.
Mollie Hanson, who started and went 7.0 innings for the Bulldogs while allowed eight hits and three earned runs, sat down the heart of the Gamecock order—
Taylor Sloan,
Whitney Gillespie and
Emily Church—to seal the Samford win.
On the day, Lewis led all Jacksonville State hitters with four hits in seven at-bats, with four RBIs and a run scored. Church added three hits, two of which were home runs, drove in four runs and scored three runs. Sloan, Gillespie,
Jamie McGuire and
Jordan Bullock all had two hits.
Casey Akenberger was in the pitching circle in both games and went 6.2 innings between the two games. She allowed seven hits, four runs—only three earned—and struck out three.
Taylor West got the save in game two as she went two innings, allowed four this and surrendered one earned one.
Kirsten Titus, a freshman, started game one and went 5.1 innings, allowed five hits and three earned runs.
The two teams will conclude the three-game weekend series when the Gamecocks travel to Birmingham to face the Bulldogs at home tomorrow with the first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.
