JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State softball team dropped its doubleheader and the series with UT Martin on Sunday, losing both games in the Skyhawk's final at bat.
Game one saw JSU rally to take the lead with a two-run double from
Alexus Jimmerson in the sixth, but UTM answered with four runs in the seventh to claim the 5-2 win. In the finale, UT Martin broke a tie in the eighth to end the series with a 5-4 win.
The Skyhawks struck first in game one, scoring a run without a hit after a leadoff walk to Kaci Fuller. She took two bases on a sac bunt and scored on Kaitlyn Kelly's deep sac fly to left.
Reagan Watkins held the Skyhawk bats at bay until the sixth, when JSU was able to muster up some offense of its own. After singles from
Lauren Hunt and
Megan Fortner put runners on, Jimmerson roped her second double of the game into the right center field gap, scored both runners and put the Gamecocks up 2-1.
The lead didn't last long. UTM plated four in the seventh, two on Kelley's single to center and another on a bobble at the plate that put the Skyhawks up 5-2.
Alexis Groet went the distance for the Skyhawks and earned the win after allowing two runs on six hits in seven innings of work She also struck out one and walked one.
Watkins (1-3) suffered the loss for JSU, surrendering three runs on just one hit and five walks in 6 and 1/3 innings in the circle. She struck out three.
Nicole Rodriguez gave up the other two runs on two hits in recording the final two outs for JSU.
Kelley had three of the Skyhawks' four RBI in the game, while Jimmerson led the Gamecocks with two doubles.
In the second game, UT Martin and JSU exchanged four-run innings in the fourth, with the Skyhawks starting the big inning with an RBI single from Macey Neal and then a pair of errors that allowed three more runs to score and put them up 4-0.
That lead was short-lived, thanks to a quick answer by the Gamecocks. JSU quickly loaded the bases and an infield single from
Jada Terry drove in the first run.
Shelby Newsome followed with an RBI single down the right field line, and
Alex Howard drove in two to tie it at 4-4 with a single to left.
The score held until extras, when the Skyhawks broke the tie. Kallie Pickens led off the eighth with a triple to left center and scored on
Lexi Androlevich's first pitch in relief, a wild pitch that was just out of the reach of catcher
Caroline Lively.
The Gamecocks threatened by loading the bases in their half of the eighth, but they couldn't push anything across.
Jimmerson (1-3) suffered the tough-luck loss after allowing five runs, only three earned, on five hits in seven-plus innings of work.
Lexi Androlevich recorded the final three outs on one hit.
Groet (4-1) earned the win in relief for the Skyhawks, tossing five innings on one-hit shutout softball. She walked two and struck out three.
The Gamecocks return to action on Tuesday, when they host Alabama State at 5 p.m. CT at University Field. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
