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Box Score 2 OXFORD – The Jacksonville State softball team shut out Morehead State in the opener before getting shut out in the second game of a doubleheader split on Saturday at Choccolocco Park.
The Gamecocks (27-20, 14-4 Ohio Valley Conference) rode a complete-game gem by junor
Faith Sims to a 1-0 win in the opener, but Allison Rager led the Eagles (24-16, 5-9 OVC) to a 3-0 win to even the twinbill.
Sims and Chelsea McManaway dueled it out in the opening game and Sims came out on top. The Morehead State ace suffered a tough-luck defeat after allowing just two hits and striking out 10 JSU batters.
Sims (17-7) allowed just four hits to the Eagles but tossed her third shutout and 17thcomplete game of the season to win the pitcher's duel. The Cordova, Ala., native struck out four and walked just one while not allowing a runner past first until the seventh inning.
The Gamecocks weren't able to get much going against McManaway but they were able to get just enough to support Sims.
Anna Chisolm reached in her first two at bats, walking in the first and getting hit by a McManaway pitch in the fourth. She stole second both times and broke the scoreless tie in the fourth on
Ryann Luna's double to left, the Gamecocks' first hit of the game.
Taylor Beshears had JSU's only other hit in the game for JSU with her sixth-inning single to right center.
The Eagles wasted no time scoring in the second game, plating a run in the first on an Allison Rager single and another in the second on a Kylie Holton homer to left. They got one more in the sixth on a solo homer from Robyn Leighton that pushed it to a 3-0 game.
The Gamecocks couldn't capitalize on the opportunities that MSU gave them to put any runs on the board. The Eagles committed five errors in the game and had an error with the JSU leadoff batter in the box in four-straight, but they were able to keep the runs from crossing the plate.
Rager (8-8) earned the win in the circle for MSU, tossing a six-hit shutout that saw her strike out six and walk one.
Alexus Jimmerson (7-5) suffered the loss for JSU after allowing three runs in an inning of work.
Nicole Rodriguez settled things down and held the Eagles to a run on four hits in five innings of relief before Sims tossed a scoreless seventh.
The Gamecocks will return to action on Sunday, when they host first-place Eastern Kentucky in a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Choccolocco Park. Admission is free for JSU students and fans ages 18 and under.
