BIRMINGHAM – For seven innings on Wednesday night, Jacksonville State and UAB were foes, but the rest of the evening was one of friendship and caring for the other in need.
 
The Gamecocks (15-16) won the battle on the diamond 4-1 over their rival Blazers (11-21-1), but the story was what happened off of the field.
 
UAB organized a night of giving to the JSU softball program, whose stadium and batting facility were two of several on campus that were severely damaged by the Ef-3 tornado that ripped through JSU and the north side of Jacksonville.
 
The Blazers solicited their fans to bring donations to the game to be sent back to Jacksonville in support of the relief and recovery efforts that are currently in full force in the community. Prior to the game, JSU softball alumni and friends surprised head coach Jana McGinnis and assistants Mark Wisener and Julie Boland with donations that totaled over $3,000.
 
After the game, the donations collected were too large for the Gamecocks to bring back home, forcing the Blazers to offer to deliver them to campus later.
 
"JSU and UAB are probably toughest competitors on field," a thankful McGinnis said following the game. "But off the field we are friends and are always there for each other. Their generosity and caring were definitely displayed tonight and we greatly appreciate it."
 
In all, about 250 cases of water, 4 bags of toiletries and boxes of non-perishable foods were donated by Blazer and Gamecock fans alike.
 
On the field, the Gamecocks got another strong pitching performance from Faith Sims and scattered four runs on nine hits to grab the non-conference win.
 
Sims (10-7), a junior from Cordova, Ala., held the Blazers to one run on just four hits and three walks in earning her fourth-straight win in the circle. She tossed all seven innings to best UAB starter Emily Kachel (8-9), who allowed two runs on five hits in her three innings of work.
 
UAB got its lone run in the first inning on a Sarah Crawford triple that scored Analyse Petree after her one-out walk. The home team wouldn't get anything else in the game.
 
JSU scored two runs in the third and two more in the sixth to account for its offensive output. Four RBI singles, from Taylor Beshears and Alexus Jimmerson in the third and from Caitlyn Sapp and Anna Chisolm in the sixth, to plate the Gamecocks' four runs.
 
Sapp was 3-for-3 with a double in the game, while Chisolm and Jimmerson each recorded two hits. Senior Emily Woodruff had the Gamecocks' only other extra-base hit, a double in her 1-for-3 night.
 
The Gamecocks return to Ohio Valley Conference play on Friday, when they play a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Murray State in Murray, Ky. Both games will be streamed for free on the OVC Digital Network.