JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State's home opener didn't go as planned on Saturday, when the Gamecocks dropped a pair of one-run games to Southern Miss at University Field.
The Gamecocks (9-3) brought their best start since 2004 and a six-game win streak into the three-game series with the Golden Eagles (8-6), but the visitors came out on the winning side of two close games in front of 1,298 fans. They won the opener 2-1 and then held on for a 4-3 win in the nightcap.
The opener saw two runs, one unearned, score in the first inning against JSU and then USM starter Jillian Johnson hold off the Gamecock bats. JSU managed five hits to the Golden Eagles' seven in the game, despite hitting the ball much more sharply throughout the contest.
Johnson (3-0) held JSU to a run on five hits through seven innings, striking out two and walking three to win a pitcher's duel with
Whitney Gillespie. The JSU ace allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits in 7.0 innings that also saw her strike out eight in falling to 3-2 on the season.
Anna Chisolm drove in the Gamecocks' lone run in the sixth on an opposite field homer that cut USM's lead in half. JSU put runners at first and second in the home half of the seventh but couldn't push the tying run across.
In the second game, JSU scored a run in the first on a
Stephanie Lewis RBI ground out and then pushed one more home in the third on a throwing error by USM third baseman Lauren Holifield.
The Golden Eagles answered in the sixth with four runs, mostly on a bases-clearing double from Bailey Stokes.
JSU got one back in the sixth on back-to-back doubles from
Anna Snider and
Hayley Sims and then put runners at first and second again in the seventh, but it couldn't tie the game.
Taylor West (4-1) suffered the loss after surrendering four runs, three earned, on six hits in seven frames. She struck out eight and walked four. Kim Crowson (4-2) got the win in her complete game, holding JSU to three runs, two earned, on nine hits.
JSU and USM will wrap up the three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Admission is free for JSU Students and all fans ages 18 and under.
