HUNTSVILLE – The Jacksonville State softball team jumped on Mississippi State Wednesday night, but the Bulldogs answered and grabbed an 11-3 win in a neutral site matchup on the University of Alabama-Huntsville's campus.
A pair of second-inning home runs from seniors
Anna Chisolm and
Hayley Sims gave the Gamecocks (23-9) an early 3-1 advantage, but the Bulldogs (23-12) scored 11 unanswered runs to snap JSU's four-game win streak and hand the Gamecocks just their third loss in the last 15 games.
JSU managed six hits on the MSU pitching staff, led by a 2-for-3 night from
Taylor Beshears that featured a double. Chisolm tied Beshears for the team lead in home runs with her 12thof the season, while Sims hit her third homer of the year.
Senior ace
Faith Sims (15-2) suffered just her second loss in the circle for JSU. The Cordova, Ala., native surrendered six runs on six hits in 4 and 1/3 innings of work. She walked four and struck out one. Senior
Kirsten Titus tossed the final 1 and 1/3 innings for the Gamecocks, allowing five runs on five hits and two walks.
Grace Fagan (5-5) earned the win for Mississippi State, tossing 4 and 2/3 innings of relief that saw her hold JSU scoreless on one hit, a walk and five strike outs. Kayla Boseman started the game but was pulled in the second after giving up three runs on five hits and a walk.
Chisolm started the scoring with her solo shot to center in the second, and
Hayley Sims followed an
Amber Jones walk with her two-run blast that also cleared the center field wall and gave JSU a 3-0 advantage.
MSU got one back in the bottom of the third and then tied the game on a two-run single from Sarai Niu in the fourth. A three-run fifth opened it up before five runs in the sixth ended the game.
Emily Heimberger and Candace Denis each went 3-for-3 for MSU, with Heimberger homering and scoring twice, while Denis tripled and drove in three runs.
The Gamecocks will return to University Field on Friday, when they will host a key Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader vs. Austin Peay at University Field. The first game will start at 1 p.m. and both will be broadcast live on ESPN+. JSU students and fans ages 18 and under receive free admission to all JSU home softball games. Tickets can be purchased in advanced at www.JSUGamecockSports.com/Tickets.
