JACKSONVILLE –
Whitney Gillespie earned a win and a save in the circle and belted a three-run homer at the plate to highlight Jacksonville State's softball sweep of Austin Peay on Good Friday at University Field.
The Gamecocks (32-9, 11-1 Ohio Valley Conference) won the first game 7-0 behind Gillespie's four-hit shutout and the three-run bomb and then downed the Governors (14-26, 2-10 OVC) 4-3 in the second game of the day. The junior from Pelham came in to save a solid outing for senior
Taylor West in the nightcap, extending JSU's winning streak to a season-long 13 games.
West got the win in the second game to tie JSU Hall of Famer Ann Shelton for fourth in the school's career wins list with 48. Gillespie's win was the 42nd of her career, seventh on the same list.
The Gamecocks struck early in the first game, plating four runs in the first to take a 4-0 lead. A bases loaded walk to
Stephanie Lewis, followed by an RBI single from
Whitney Gillespie and a two-run single by
Hayley Sims put the runs on the board in the frame.
Gillespie was busy putting zeroes on the scoreboard from the circle, she took matters into her own hands to put some insurance runs on JSU's side of the board. She put three up with one swing in the fifth, a drive over the left field wall that scored
Taylor Sloan and Lewis after they drew walks earlier in the inning,
Gillespie's blast gave her a 7-0 lead that she would use to cruise to the win in the circle. She held the Govs to just four hits in her seventh shutout of the year and the 16th of her career. She improved to 15-3 on the season after striking out seven batters and walking a pair.
Kelsey Gross (7-8) took the loss after allowing seven runs on five hits and six walks. Of those six free passes, five of them ended up scoring for JSU.
JSU struck first in the second game, and did so compliments of another free pass by Austin Peay pitching.
Anna Chisolm drew a leadoff walk from game two starter Autumn Hanners and then used her speed to put the Gamecocks up 1-0.
Chisolm swiped second on the second pitch of the next at bat, forcing catcher Carly Mattson to sail her throw into center. As Chisolm advanced to third, centerfielder Kacy Acree's throw also got away, allowing Chisolm to trot home for the game's first run.
The Gamecocks got another unearned run in the second, when another pair of errors allowed
Alexus Jimmerson to advance to second after a fielder's choice and then later score to make it a 2-0 game.
Austin Peay got its first run of the day in the sixth, when Kendall Vedder hit a two-out solo homer down the left field line. Her sixth homer of the season cut JSU's lead to a run with one inning to play.
The Gamecocks got two insurance runs in the home half of the sixth, when
Leila Chambers drove a two-run single into center and gave JSU a 4-1 lead.
The Gamecocks would need every run after the Govs scored two in the seventh to make it a one-run game before Gillespie came in to close it out.
West (13-4) notched the win after allowing three runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings of work that also saw her strike out nine batters. She ran her career strikeout total to 345. She also set a new career-high for strikeouts in a season, pushing her 2017 total to 115.
Gillespie earned her 10th career save in recording the final two outs of the game.
Autumn Hanners (6-10) was a tough-luck loser in the circle for the Govs. She held JSU to four runs, just one earned, on three hits in five innings.
The Gamecocks take a week off before returning home for the final home weekend of the season. They will host SIU-Edwardsville on April 22 in a 1 p.m. doubleheader before welcoming Eastern Illinois for a 1 p.m. twinbill on April 24. The EIU games will mark Senior Day for JSU, which will honor the team's seven seniors in a pregame ceremony.
