JACKSONVILLE – Senior Faith Sims threw her second no hitter in three days to lead Jacksonville State to a split with Southeast Missouri and to clinch at least a share of another Ohio Valley Conference title on Senior Day Sunday.
 
Just 48 hours after no-hitting UT Martin on Friday, Sims tossed her third-career no-no in a 1-0 win in the opening game for the Gamecocks (33-13, 17-5 OVC). The Redhawks (38-15, 15-5 OVC) kept their hopes of sharing the title alive with a 3-1 win in the nightcap.
 
Sims continued her dominance of OVC pitching on Sunday, facing just one batter over the minimum and striking out five batters in handing SEMO its first no-hitter this season. The Redhawks entered the game leading the OVC with a .307 average and a .320 average in conference play.
 
The senior from Cordova, Ala., made the most of her Senior Day start that came just two days after tossing 10 hitless innings over a sweep of UTM that saw her earn a win and a save. On Sunday, Sims (20-4) threw 7 and 1.3 hitless frames over the twinbill. She becomes the third Gamecock to earn 20 wins in different seasons, joining Ann Shelton (1995, 96) and Carly Kellam (2005, 06), and has not allowed a hit in her last 21 and 2/3 innings pitched.
 
The split secures at least a share of JSU's seventh OVC regular season title since joining the league in 2004. It is the Gamecocks' 14^thOVC trophy, thanks to seven OVC Tournament titles.
 
Sims was on the winning end of a pitcher's duel in the first game, edging the SEMO duo of Rachel Rook and Kaylee Anderson in the 1-0 game. The Redhawks held JSU to just three hits, but two of those came in succession in the sixth to win the game.
 
A two-out infield single from Hannahstaysia Weaver set up a game-winning double by Karsen Mosley that gave Sims all the run support she would need. 
 
An inside pitch grazed Claudia Gallo to put the tying run on base, but third baseman Mosley and second baseman Anna Chisolm turned a double play on Ashley Ellis to end the game and preserve the win.
 
Rook started the game and held JSU scoreless on one hit through four innings of work. Anderson (5-3) tossed the final two innings and suffered the loss after allowing a run on those two back-to-back hits in the sixth.
 
In the second game of the day, SEMO's top hitter, Rachel Anderson, put her team on her back and lifted the Redhawks to the split. She had a homer, double and single and drove in two runs for SEMO. She singled in the first run in the second and homered for the last in the top of the seventh.
 
JSU scored its run in the sixth, when Taylor Beshears doubled in Alexus Jimmerson from first to cut what was a two-run deficit in half. Anderson's homer stretched the lead back to two in the top of the seventh.
 
Haley Thogmartin (17-6) earned the win for SEMO, holding JSU to a run on four hits in five innings of work. Kaylee Anerson tossed the final two innings and held JSU to a hit and earned her second save of the season.
 
Reagan Watkins (2-1) suffered the loss for JSU, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks in 2 and 2/3 innings of work. Senior Kirsten Titus held SEMO to a run on two hits and a pair of walks in 3 and 2/3 innings before Sims came in to retire the final batter for SEM on just one pitch.
 
The Gamecocks will wrap up their regular season on Wednesday, when they host Alabama State at 5 p.m. at University Field. JSU Students and fans 18 and under receive free admission, and tickets can be purchased online at www.JSUGamecockSports.com/Tickets. The game will also be streamed live on ESPN+.