TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Jacksonville State claimed a 3-2 win over No. 15 Auburn on Saturday, eliminating the Tigers and advancing to the Gamecocks' fourth NCAA Regional title game.
 
Sophomore Alexus Jimmerson tossed a complete game gem to earn the win in the circle for the Gamecocks (35-24) and also recorded the go-ahead hit in the sixth to oust the Tigers (41-17) and set up a rematch with host and No. 6 national seed Florida State on Sunday. It will be JSU's fourth appearance in the title game of a Division I regional and its second in the last three years.
 
Jimmerson limited the Tigers to two runs, just one earned, on six hits in her fifth complete game of the season and her first since March 30. At the plate, she was 1-for-3 with a two-run double that turned a 2-1 Auburn lead into a 3-2 JSU advantage.


 
The win was JSU's first over the in-state foe from the Southeastern Conference since 1997 and just the second in 19 meetings with the Tigers. It is JSU's first NCAA Tournament win over a Southeastern Conference team since defeating Tennessee twice in the 2009 Knoxville Regional championship game.
 
The Gamecocks advance and will need to beat FSU twice on Sunday at JoAnne Graf Field to advance to their first Super Regional since 2009.
 
The Tigers drew first blood in the game, scoring a run in the second inning on an Alyssa Rivera single that scored Brittany Maresette from second and put a 1-0 Auburn lead on the board.
 
The Gamecocks evened up the score in the fifth, when they started the inning with three-straight singles. Leila Chambers singled to left center and Ryann Luna to shortstop, setting up a bunt single by Hayley Sims that scored pinch runner Hannahstaysia Weaver from third and tied the game at 1-1.
 
Rivera broke the tie in the Tigers' ensuing at bat, going the other way with Jimmerson's 3-1 pitch and driving it over the wall to put Auburn back on top, 2-1.
 
The Auburn lead didn't last long. JSU scored two quick runs in the home half of the sixth, thanks to a leadoff walk to Chisolm and a single down the right field line by Taylor Beshears that put runners at the corners fro Jimmerson. She delivered, driving one to the wall in left center, a double that scored both runners and put JSU on top for the first time in the game, 3-2.
 
Jimmerson closed the door in the seventh, working around a one-out single and stolen base by Victoria Draper to get a game ending grounder to Sapp at third.
 
Makayla Martin (15-7) suffered the loss for Auburn in the circle, allowing three runs on six hits in five innings of work. She did strike out five before making way for Ashlee Swindle, who retired all three batters she faced.