JACKSONVILLE – A six-run first inning lifted the Jacksonville State softball team to a 9-4 win over Alabama State on Tuesday night at University Field.
 
The Gamecocks (12-9) set the tone early with a six-run first inning that saw 12 batters come to the plate, five hits and two ASU errors. Megan Fortner had a double in the inning and was one of five JSU players with an RBI in the inning.
 
The win over the Hornets (10-15) was led by an offensive attack that totaled 11 hits. Junior Keeli Bobbitt led that charge with a 3-for-3 effort that included a triple and two runs scored.
 
Freshman Megan Fortner also had three hits in the win, going 3-dor-4 with two doubles and an RBI, while freshman Lauren Hunt drove in three runs in her fourth career start. Sophomore Savannah Sudduth went 2-for-3 and scored twice, extending her team-best hitting streak to 19 games.
 
The Hornets got one back in the second on a towering leadoff homer from Schylur Edwards, cutting JSU's lead to 6-1.
 
Freshman Lauren Hunt increased the JSU lead in the third, blooping a two-run single into right center that plated Keeli Bobbitt and Savannah Sudduth to make it an 8-1 JSU lead.
 
Alabama State added a run in each the fourth and fifth innings to make it a five-run game, but the Gamecocks added another in the home half of the fifth. Bobbitt led off the frame with a triple to right center and scored on Hunt's sac fly to right.
 
Macy Bearden (3-4) earned the win, tossing four innings and allowing just two runs on four hits, while striking out five. Alexus Jimmerson earned her second save of the season, limiting the Hornets to two runs on four hits in three innings of relief work.
 
The Gamecocks will have a week off before returning to action on Tuesday with a 5 p.m. game against Georgia Tech. It will start back-to-back home games, with UAB paying a visit on March 18. For tickets, visit www.jsugamecocksports.com/tickets. JSU students and fans ages 18 and under receive free admission to all JSU home softball games.