MACON, Ga. – Jacksonville State finished its opening weekend with a bang on Sunday, when they handed Mercer a 15-0 mercy-rule defeat in the final game of the Mercer Invitational.
 
The Gamecocks (3-2) had 14 hits at the plate, while senior Faith Sims tossed her second gem of the season in her second start in the circle. She held the host Bears (2-3) to just two infield singles and needed only 48 pitches to earn her second shutout just two days after no-hitting Army to open the season.
 
At the plate, senior Kirsten Titus wrapped up an explosive opening weekend with a 2-for-3 day that featured her first career grand slam and five RBI. The Evans, Ga., native entered the weekend with just two career at bats and no hits, but she exits the Mercer Invitational after going 4-for-8 with three home runs and 11 RBI.
 
Fellow senior Taylor Beshears also had a big weekend, driving in eight runs on a 7-for-17 showing at the plate. The native of Trussville, Ala., also homered three times in the tournament and drove in three runs in a 3-for-4 showing on Sunday.
 
Freshman Sidney Wagnon was 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI and three runs scored on Sunday, putting the finishing touches on an impressive debut weekend to her collegiate career. The Moody, Ala., native hit .467 (7-for-15) with six runs scored, three doubles and five RBI in the tournament. 
 
Sims (2-0) struck out seven in Sunday's five-inning complete game win. She allowed back-to-back infield singles to lead off the second inning before retiring the last 11 batters she faced. The Cordova, Ala., native went 2-0 on the tournament with 16 strikeouts and no walks in just 12 innings in the circle. Sunday's gem saw 35 of her 48 pitches go for strikes.
 
JSU threatened in the first but stranded two runners on. That would change in the second, when Wagnon started the scoring with a bases-clearing double that gave the Gamecocks a 3-0 lead. Beshears followed with a double of her own two batters later that staked Sims to a 5-0 lead.
 
The Gamecocks added six in the third, starting with a pinch-hit RBI single from freshman Bailey Smart. Titus and senior Lex Hull followed with back-to-back homers to make it an 11-0 game. Titus' grand slam cleared the wall in right, just before Hull hit the very next pitch over the center field fence.
 
Beshears started a four-run fourth with an RBI single and Titus drew a bases loaded walk to follow. Freshman Anna Hood reached on an error that also allowed the final two runs to score and post the final 15-0 score on the board.
 
Sydney Tucker (0-1) was tagged with the loss for Mercer, allowing eight runs on seven hits and two walks in just 2 and 1/3 innings of work. Lauren O'Dell gave up the other seven runs on seven hits and two walks in 1 and 2.3 innings, while Bailey Pattison was able to get the final three outs without allowing a run.
 
The Gamecocks return to action on Friday, when they open play in the Alabama State Black & Gold Tournament in Montgomery. Their first game will be at 12 p.m. CT on Friday against North Alabama.