PHOTO GALLERY (Matt Reynolds Pics)
AUBURN – Jacksonville State went out to shock the softball world on Friday and nearly pulled it off.
The Gamecocks (41-16) took the No. 4 National Seed to the bottom of the seventh, but a game-ending sac fly lifted Auburn to a 2-1 win and escaped an upset on the first day of the NCAA Auburn Regional.
Sophomore and Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year
Whitney Gillespie held one of the nation's top offenses to a run on two hits through the first six innings, but the Tigers (50-9) was able to load the bases and set up a fly ball to right by Carlee Wallace to drive home the winning run.
The heartbreaking loss drops the Gamecocks into the elimination bracket, where they will play Oregon State at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Jane B. Moore Field. The Beavers lost to USC Upstate earlier on Friday.
The Gamecocks looked comfortable to start the game, grabbing the game's first run in the top of the first. Leadoff batter
Ella Denes gave Makayla Martin's 1-2 pitch a ride, but Victoria Draper hauled it in before crashing into the center field wall.
Jordan Bullock followed with an infield single, moved to second on a
Taylor Sloan grounder and scored when short stop Whitney Jordan airmailed her throw to first after a
Jamie McGuire grounder.
Gillespie worked around the Tigers early in the game, striking out four in the first two innings, while the Gamecock bats chased Martin from the circle with one out in the top of the third. She left a jam for Rachael Walters, but the Auburn senior struck out two to strand Gamecocks at second and third.
The Tigers got something going in the home half of the third, an inning started by Tiffany Howard's bloop single to center. Auburn's first hit off of Gillespie, followed y Howard's steal of second, set up an RBI single to right by Emily Carosone that tied the game at 1-1. Auburn put two one with no outs after the tying run scored, but Gillespie pitched out of it to leave the score knotted.
Gillespie and Waters went toe-to-toe the rest of the way, putting zeroes on the scoreboard and increasing the nervousness of the 1,733 fans in attendance.
The Auburn seventh started with a Victoria Draper bunt single and saw back-to-back hit batters load the bases with no outs. Gillespie was forced to face SEC Player of the Year Kasey Cooper, who she had walked in each of her three previous plate appearances, and got a one hopper to first that resulted in the first out.
Wallace followed and lifted one to normal depth in right, but Denes' throw to the plate wasn't in time to get the Tigers' fastest runner, Howard, at the plate.
