Box Score


JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville State's softball team remained perfect at University Field this season with a 4-2 win over Fort Wayne on Wednesday afternoon.
 
For the first time since February 14, the Gamecocks played in front of home fans and brought a little excitement to the mid-week game against Fort Wayne. The Mastadons broke through the run column first when Jenna Balthazor singled home Courtney Holm and Sydney Windlan, who pinch ran for Maria Palmegiani, with a two-out single to right field off Faith Sims.
 
Sims, who runs her record to 5-5, rebounded by putting up zero's over the next five innings while her teammates got their bats going at the plate.
 
It took a two-out rally in the bottom of the third to get Jacksonville State (8-12) on the scoreboard. It started with a single by Taylor Beshears, who finished with three hits in four at bats, which was followed by a single by Alexus Jimmerson. Hayley Sims loaded the bases when she was hit by a 2-2 pitch.
 
Lex Hull plated Beshears when she was credited with an infield single after hitting a 3-2 pitch off the foot of Mastadon pitcher Bailey Benefield. Taylor Rogers, who checked into the game in the top half of the inning in left field, drew a bases-loaded walk to score Jimmerson and tie the game.
 
Beshears struck again the following inning when she singled home Emily Woodruff, who started the inning with a single down the left-field line, stole second and advanced to third on a Caitlyn Sapp sacrifice bunt.
 
The exact same thing happened two innings when Woodruff singled, stole second and moved to third on a groundout before Beshears made it 4-2 Gamecocks.
 
In the top of the seventh, Balthazor lead off the inning with an infield single, then moved to second following a Lexi Smalarz sacrifice bunt. Balthazor took third on a passed ball but was picked off by Hull. Lauren Watson tried to keep the Mastadon rally alive by reaching first via a fielding error. However, Lacey Wilzbacher grounded out to Sims as she capped her complete game, four-hit, two-run performance.
 
Jacksonville State will return to action on March 13th when the Gamecocks travel to Montgomery to play in-state opponent Alabama State, before traveling to Charleston, South Carolina to participate in the Charleston Invitational. JSU's next home game will be on April 7th when OVC opponent Belmont comes to Jacksonville for a doubleheader.