MACON, Ga. – A pair of big innings did the Jacksonville State softball team in at the Mercer Invitational on Saturday.
An eight-run second cost the Gamecocks (2-2) in an 11-3 loss to Rutgers before Army claimed an 11-6 win behind a seven-run fourth inning on day two of the tournament.
Taylor Beshears was the bright spot for the Gamecocks, belting three home runs in the second game of the day. The senior from Trussville, Ala., entered the game searching for her first hit of the season and responded in a big way. She paced a six home run day for the Gamecocks at the plate.
Rutgers got on the board first in the opening game, getting a sac fly from Anyssa Iliopoulos that gave the Scarlet Knights a 1-0 lead. JSU answered to tie in the top of the second on
Anna Chisolm's first homer of the season and then took the lead when
Jada Terry doubled in
Bailey Smart to make it a 2-1 game.
The Scarlet Knights opened the flood gates in the bottom of the second, scoring eight runs in an inning that was highlighted by three home runs and gave them a 9-2 lead.
The Gameocks cut into the deficit in the fourth. Chisolm got the inning started by drawing a walk and then using her speed to steal second and force an error that allowed her to reach third. She would score on an
Amber Jones RBI single, setting up a two-run homer by freshman
Bailey Smart. Her first career blast drew JSU to within four, making it a 9-5 game.
Three JSU errors in the bottom of the fifth allowed a pair of unearned runs to score with two outs for the Scarlet Knights, stopping JSU's momentum and stretching Rutgers' lead to 11-5. A homer and another error, JSU's sixth of the game, led to the final two runs in the sixth that ended the game via the mercy rule.
Alexus Jimmerson (0-1) suffered the loss for JSU, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks in just over an inning of work. Freshman
Lexi Androlevich surrendered seven runs, four earned, on eight hits in 4 and 1/3 innings of relief work in her collegiate debut.
Whitney Jones (1-1) earned the win for Rutgers, allowing five runs on seven hits in four innings, while Corah Price held JSU scoreless through two innings. The Scarlet Knights hit four homers in the game and was led by Katie Wingert's 4-for-4 outing that featured a homer and two RBI.
The Gamecocks scored first in the second game of the day, plating two runs on Beshears' first homer. After Army tied the game in the second, freshman
Karsen Mosley belted her first career homer to center to put JSU back up, 3-2.
That's when it came apart for JSU. The Black Knights scored seven times in the fourth with just two hits. The big inning featured four walks and two errors and put the Gamecocks in a 10-3 hole.
Beshears belted a solo homer in the fifth to get one back and then answered a sixth-inning Army run with a two-run blast that put the final 11-6 score on the board.
Nicole Rodriguez (0-1) suffered the loss for JSU after allowing five runs on six hits through three innings of work.
Reagan Watkins gave up five runs, three earned, on two hits and two walks in one frame, while freshman
Macy Bearden surrendered one run on one hit and three walks in two frames.
Jolie Doug (2-0) earned the win for Army, giving up three runs on four hits in four innings of work.
The Gamecocks will wrap up their opening weekend on Sunday, when they take on host Mercer at 12:15 p.m. CT.
