BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Jacksonville State softball team suffered heartbreak in back-to-back losses at Samford on Sunday, falling 5-4 and 5-2 in a doubleheader at Samford Softball Stadium.
 
Both losses came on last at-bats for the Bulldogs (2-3). Four of the five games the Gamecocks (0-5) have lost this season came on the last at-bats by their opponents. A walk-off single lifted SU over Jax State in game two, while a grand slam ended the Sunday finale.
 
The day had a promising start as Jada Terry launched a three-run homer to center field to put the Gamecocks up 3-0 in the first inning of the day's first matchup. Jax State held onto the lead until Samford tied the game with two runs in the fourth and one run in the fifth.
 
Reagan Watkins got the start in the circle and went 3.2 innings before hitting a snag in the fourth, but Alexus Jimmerson swooped in and got the Gamecocks out of the jam without allowing Samford to take the lead.
 
The in-state foes were tied for the next three innings before Jax State struck in the ninth to go ahead. With Jimmerson keeping the Bulldogs scoreless through the sixth, seventh and eighth, Shelby Newsome singled home Lauren Hunt to put the Gamecocks up, 4-3.
 
Going to the home half of the ninth with the lead, a walk, hit batter and pair of hits doomed JSU. The tying run scored on a Whitney Hilton single, and a squeeze bunt by O'Niel Roberson scored Timberlyn Shurbutt from third to win the game.
 
Starting pitcher Lexi Androlevich had a stellar outing in the second contest, tossing five innings of five-hit, shutout softball with Jacksonville State leading Samford 2-0. Trouble came in the sixth inning, however, as Ansley Yantis led off with a double. After getting two quick outs, Androlevich walked Amanda Briskin, and Mekhi Mayfield reached on an error to load the bases. A moment later, Shurbutt belted a grand slam to put the Bulldog ahead 5-2. All five Bulldog runs were unearned.
 
The Gamecocks were unable to get anything going in the top of the seventh as Samford retired the Jax State side in order.
 
Megan Fortner and Lindsey Richardson each tallied a double in the loss, while Hunt and Terry were the only other Gamecocks to find base hits. Fortner and Hunt drove in JSU's pair of runs.
 
Jacksonville State returns to the diamond Friday, Feb. 26 to host Southern Miss in its first home game of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will broadcast on ESPN+. The second and third games of the series are slated for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday. Saturday's games will not broadcast on ESPN+.
 
For ticket information, please contact the JSU Ticket Office by calling (256) 782-TIXX (8499) or by visiting the JSU Ticket Office at Pete Mathews Coliseum. The ticket office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed for lunch noon to 1 p.m.).
For more information on the JSU softball team, follow the Gamecocks on Twitter and Instagram (@JSUGamecocksSB). For more on all Gamecocks sports teams, follow the official social media accounts of JSU Athletics on Twitter (@JSUGamecocks), Facebook (Facebook.com/JSUGamecocks) and Instagram (@JSUGamecocks).