JACKSONVILLE — On a Valentine's Day Wednesday night, it was solo home runs from Taylor Beshears and Anna Chisolm that lifted Jacksonville State to a 3-2 win over in-state foe Samford. 

Beshears, who was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week on Monday, recorded her first career home run as a Gamecock when she drilled the first pitch of her fifth-inning at bat over the right field fence. The home run gave JSU a 3-2 lead, before starting pitcher Faith Sims set down the next six Bulldog batters to give Jacksonville State its fourth win in six games. 

It was also Beshears who gave Jacksonville State its first lead when the junior shortstop singled a 3-2 pitch back up the middle which scored Hannahstaysia Weaver, who led off the game by reaching on a fielding error, stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch, in the bottom of the first. 

Sims (3-0) kept Samford off the scoreboard until the top of the fourth. During the inning, the Bulldogs drew a leadoff walk, then two one-out walks to load the bases. It was Ryan Brzozski getting hit by a 1-2 pitch during the next at bat to put the Bulldogs (0-5) on the scoreboard. Madison Couch pushed Samford ahead when Whitney Hinton scored on a sacrifice fly. 

But the Bulldog lead was short lived. 

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Chisolm connected on a 3-2 pitch and drove it over the centerfield fence. Sims set down all three Samford batter in the top of the fifth to set the stage for Beshears' home run. 

It's the second complete game for Sims this season as she struck out five batters and scatted two hits and two runs over seven innings against the Bulldogs. 

Jacksonville State will play five games in the EMU Madeira Beach Spring Invitational in Madeira, Beach, Fla., this week, before playing three games at Southern Miss on Feb. 23 and 24. After playing five games in the Georgia Bulldog Classic in Athens, Ga., the Gamecocks will return to University Field for their next home game against Fort Wayne on March 7 at 3 p.m.