JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State freshman
Alex Howard's first career home run was a memorable one for Jacksonville State on Saturday, when they Gamecocks downed SIU-Edwardsville 4-2 on Howard's walk-off blast.
The Oxford, Ala., native belted Sydney Baalman's 0-1 pitch deep over the wall in left center in the bottom of the seventh to break a 2-2 tie and give the Gamecocks (6-16, 5-7 Ohio Valley Conference) a win in the final game of the three-game series with the Cougars (4-14, 4-8 OVC).
The Gamecocks struggled to get their offense going for the first five innings, before
Alexus Jimmerson hammered her first home run of the season that gave JSU its first two runs. Howard provided the final two runs with her dramatic pinch-hit homer in the seventh.
The Cougars broke a scoreless tie in the fourth, when Lexi King led off the top half with a single and scored on Grace Lueke's double into the gap in left center.
That lead held until the home half of the sixth, when the Cougars went to the bullpen and brought in Emily Ingles to try and preserve the lead. She gave up a one-out single to
Jada Terry and then a two-run homer to
Alexus Jimmerson that put the Gamecocks in front, 2-1.
The lead didn't hold long. Amber Storer got under the first pitch of the seventh and lifted it over the wall down the left field line, tying the game at 2-2.
That set the stage for Howard's heroics in the home half of the inning. Fellow freshman
Shelby Newsome started the frame with a walk in her pinch-hit appearance, while freshman
Ellie Largen pinch ran for Newsome and scored the tying run ahead of Howard's homer.
Nicole Rodriguez (3-3) went the distance and earned the win for JSU. She limited the Cougars to two runs on seven hits, while striking out six in her seven innings of work.
Baalman (1-4) suffered the loss after allowing two runs on two hits in her 6 and 1/3 innings of work. She faced all but the four batters Ingles faced in her brief appearance in the sixth.
The Gamecocks will continue their current homestand on Tuesday, when they host Tennessee Tech in a doubleheader that will start at 3 p.m. at University Field. Admission for JSU students and fans ages 18 and under is free. For tickets, visit www.JSUGamecockSports.com/Tickets.
