CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Jacksonville State softball team had a tough opening day to the weekend road series, dropping a couple of tight games at Austin Peay on Sunday.
Back on the road for the first time since March 24, the Gamecocks (12-18, 10-9 Ohio Valley Conference) saw its recent seven-game win streak snapped to the Governors (20-8, 15-6 OVC), who remained unbeaten at home this season.
In game one of Sunday's doubleheader, JSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind
Alexus Jimmerson's 3-run blast in the top of the first to score
Jada Terry and
Shelby Newsome. The margin grew to four in the following frame as Terry's single to right brought home
Keeli Bobbitt. The 4-0 advantage stood through the first half of the game with
Reagan Watkins in the circle, until APSU struck big with a 3-run homer of their own in the home half of the fourth. An error would allow the Govs to tie the game later in the inning, but one of Watkins' five strikeouts helped JSU get back on track and out of the inning still even.
Megan Fortner immediately sent JSU back in front in the top of the fifth with a solo homerun, but APSU had another answer in the bottom of the inning. With two-on and two-out, APSU's Kelsey Gross singled to left to clear the bases and hand the home team its first lead of the day. JSU was unable to get anything going in the sixth, but threatened in the final at-bat of the seventh. A leadoff double, hit-by-pitch and eventual walk loaded the bases with two out after a pair of fielder's choices. However,
Lindsey Richardson's shot to left field was hauled in the final out.
Game two saw less offense with
Nicole Rodriguez getting the start for JSU. Scoreless through the first two innings, APSU struck first in the afternoon contest with a single run in both the third and the fourth, before a two-run homer in the fifth made it a 4-0 Governor lead.
Savannah Sudduth was able to plate JSU's first run in the sixth with a single through the right side that scored Bobbitt from second after an error from the right fielder. Trailing by three, Jimmerson started the seventh inning off right with a homerun to cut the deficit to two, but the Gamecock were unable to manage another baserunner for the frame.
The two teams will meet again on Monday for the series finale, after the weekend schedule was pushed back a day due to Friday's weather in Clarksville.
