JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State got a pair of pitching gems and a big day from
Karsen Mosley to sweep an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader from Tennessee Tech on Tuesday.
Reagan Watkins and
Nicole Rodriguez both pitched complete games for the Gamecocks (8-16, 7-7 OVC), while Mosley was 3-for-6 with three RBI to lead JSU to a 5-1 win in the opener and a 2-0 win in the nightcap with the Golden Eagles (13-14, 7-6 OVC).
The Gamecocks didn't allow an earned run on the day, with Watkins striking out nine and Rodriguez tossing a two-hit shutout. The sweep extends JSU's win streak to three games after a walk-off win over SIUE on Sunday.
In the first game, the Gamecocks trailed early until a
Megan Fortner solo homer tied it in the fourth. The Cedar Hill, Mo., native lined the first pitch she saw in her fourth-inning at bat off the top of the porch beyond the left field wall to make it a 1-1 game.
Reagan Watkins held the Golden Eagles at bay and allowed her offense to work, which it did in the home half of the sixth. JSU loaded the bases with no outs and then took the lead on Mosley's two-run double into the gap in right center.
Alex Howard then delivered a pinch-hit sac fly that scored
Ellie Largen from third, and an overthrow by the left fielder allowed Mosley to hustle home from third and give the Gamecocks a 5-1 lead.
Watkins (2-4) closed out her complete game with a perfect seventh inning, striking out two of the three batters to finish the game with nine. She held TTU to an unearned run on four hits in seven frames of work.
Alyssa Arden (7-7) suffered the loss for the Golden Eagles, allowing five runs, four earned, on five hits and three walks in six innings in the circle.
Shelby Newsome was 2-for-2 in the game to lead the Gamecocks, while Mosley had two RBI. Beth McCulley had two of the Golden Eagles' four hits.
JSU struck first in the second game, getting an early run on a Tech error in the first.
Jada Terry started it off with a two-out walk and moved to third after center fielder McCulley bobbled
Alexus Jimmerson's single. She scored on Mosley's single to left and gave Rodriguez an early 1-0 lead.
She kept the Golden Eagles bats in check and put zeroes on the board until the Gamecocks added some insurance in the home half of the sixth, thanks to another Tech fielding miscue.
Mosley led off the inning with a single and stole second to get into scoring position. She would've been retired on
Megan Fortner's grounder to short, but third baseman Carmen Betts dropped the throw from Sydney Love-Baker and allowed Mosley to score to make it 2-0.
Rodriguez (4-3) finished off her gem with a perfect seventh and retired the final 11 batters she faced to secure the win. She held TTU scoreless on two hits and two walks, while striking out three.
Haeli Bryson (5-3) was tagged with the loss after giving up two runs, one earned, on seven hits in six innings. She walked one and struck out two.
Jimmerson and Mosley were each 2-for-3 to lead the JSU offense, with Mosley driving in JSU's lone RBI and scoring the other run.
The Gamecocks will host Murray State in a three-game series this weekend at University Field, beginning with a 1 p.m. CT doubleheader on Friday. They two will wrap up the series with a single game at 1 p.m. on Friday. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+. Admission for JSU Students and fans ages 18 and under is free to JSU home softball games.
