JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State softball team dropped its home opener to Southern Miss on Friday night after a rough start put the Gamecocks down early.
Walks led to a big first inning for USM (9-2) after the Gamecocks (0-6) issued five walks and gave up a three-run home run to Alyssa Davis that put five runs on the board in the top of the inning.
JSU got one back in the second on a leadoff homer from
Jada Terry. Her line drive over the center field wall was the Gamecocks' first hit of the game and made it a 5-1 game.
Hannah Borden and Destini Brown each hit solo homers in the Southern Miss fifth, extending its lead to 7-2. JSU answered with two of its own in the home half of the fifth, when
Lauren Hunt reached on a throwing error by catcher Borden and eventually scored on a wild pitch. A
Karsen Mosley sac fly drove in
Shelby Newsome and pulled JSU to within four runs at 7-3.
The Gamecocks managed a baserunner in both the sixth and the seventh when
Savannah Sudduth walked in the sixth while pinch hitting and
Shelby Newsome had a one-out single in the seventh, but JSU was unable to add anything to it.
JSU left six baserunners stranded, the same as USM. After having to enter in relief of
Lexi Androlevich in the first,
Reagan Watkins pitched the final 6.2 frames and collected nine strikeouts.
The Gamecocks and Golden Eagles return to University Field on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Live stats for both games will be available at JSUGamecockSports.com.
