JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville State softball team claimed a dramatic extra-inning win over Army to cap a split on day two of the River City Leadoff on Saturday.
 
Emily Woodruff's game-ending sacrifice fly gave the Gamecocks (2-2) a 4-3 win in the final game of the day after they fell 7-4 to UConn earlier. It marks the second-straight day that JSU has split a pair of games in the tournament.
 
Senior Caitlyn Sapp led JSU at the plate with a three-hit day, while freshman Jada Terry's 2-for-5 day included her first career home run and a team-high three RBI.
 
In the circle, junior Faith Sims struck out 15 batters, 10 in the second game, while junior Kirsten Titus earned her first win of the season in relief.
 
That nightcap saw the Gamecocks grab an early lead and it came on Terry's homer. The native of Trinity, Ala., drove a 2-0 pitch over the wall in straightaway center to put the Gamecocks up by an early run. Terry scored the next run, also, after an error allowed her to reach to start the third and another allowed her to score to make it a 2-0 game.
 
Army was able to get through against Sims in the fifth, when Kristen McPeek's RBI triple cut its deficit in half and Katie Ontiveros' RBI single tied the game at 2-2.
 
JSU grabbed the lead right back in the home half of the frame, when a leadoff single by Beshears set up Hayley Sims RBI single down the right field line that gave the Gamecocks a 3-2 advantage.
 
Army tied the game again in the seventh. McPeek singled to start the inning, stole second and advanced to third on a ground out. She then scored on a Sims pitch that went to the backstop and forced extra innings.
 
After JSU held Army off of the board in the top of the eighth, despite the international tiebreaker, the Gamecocks worked their magic in the bottom half. Anna Chisolm started the inning on second and moved to third on a perfectly placed bunt from Amber Jones. Woodruff then lifted the ball into left to score Chisolm and end the game.
 
Titus (1-1) recorded the final two outs of the eight to put herself in position to earn the win. Sims was solid in the starter's role, allowing three runs on seven hits in 7 and 1/3 innings of work. She struck out 10 batters in the game and threw 118 pitches.
 
Courtney Springman (0-1) suffered the loss for Army, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits in five innings of relief. Macey Newberry started the game and gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits in 2 and 1/3 frames.
 
Sapp and Sims led JSU at the plate in the game, each recording two hits and one RBI.
 
The early game went back-and-forth early until the Huskies pulled away late. They scored single runs in the first and second innings before an error allowed JSU to get on the board. Chisolm scored after her one-out walk on an error later in the inning. The tying run later came when Woodruff scored on a Taylor Beshears RBI single.
 
The game didn't stay tied for long. UConn tied the game and then reclaimed the lead with an unearned run of its own in the home half of the inning and took a 4-2 lead.
 
Terry delivered her first big blow of the day in the fifth inning, driving a two-run single down the right field line that scored Sapp and Ryann Luna to tie the game at 4-4.
 
Another UConn unearned run plated in the bottom of the fourth and the Huskies reclaimed a lead it wouldn't give up this time. They plated two more insurance runs in the sixth to post the final score on the board.
 
Faith Sims started the game for JSU and lasted two innings. She struck out five and allowed two runs on two hits but walked five before making way for Alexus Jimmerson (0-1), who suffered the loss after giving up three runs, one earned, on four hits in two innings. Nicole Rodriguez tossed the final two innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out three and walking two.
 
Chelsea Eckert started the game for the Huskies and was chased after allowing four unearned runs on three hits and four walks through 3 and 2/3 innings. Katie Koshes (1-0) earned the win after retiring two of the three batters she faced, and then Marybeth Olson notched her first save after striking out five in 2 and 2/3 perfect innings of work.
 
JSU will wrap up the tournament on Sunday, when they face host Jacksonville at 11:30 a.m. CT.