JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State softball team mounted a late rally but fell just short in a midweek game against Samford at University Field on Thursday.
Trailing by five in the final inning, the Gamecocks (13-19) cut their deficit to one and had the tying run on third, but the Bulldogs (15-20) held on for the 7-6 win.
Alexus Jimmerson was 3-for-4 and
Karsen Mosley was 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI to lead JSU at the plate, but Samford's Lindsey Nelson's 2-for-4, 4-RBI night pushed the Bulldogs over the top.
The Gamecocks got on the board in the second inning, thanks to four hits and a pair of Samford errors in the frame. Jimmerson led off the inning with a double to left center. Mosley reached on an infield single, and the shortstop's throw sailed out of play, allowing Jimmerson to score from second.
Megan Fortner followed with a single and then stole second. Catcher Kolby Holcombe's throw bounced into center field and Mosley scored from third to make it a two-run lead.
Samford answered in the top of the third, taking advantage of some Gamecock miscues to pull ahead.
Nicole Rodriguez got two quick outs before back-to-back errors extended the inning and set up a three-run home run from Nelson that made it a 3-2 game.
The Bulldogs scored three more in a four-hit fifth inning and added their seventh run in the sixth on Jordan Moore's sac fly that followed a one-out triple from Timberlyn Shurbutt.
The Gamecocks mounted their rally in the seventh, when Samford brought in Abby Martin to pitch. Kelli Bobbitt singled and
Alex Howard and
Shelby Newsome walked to load the bases.
Jada Terry's sac fly cut the deficit to four and chased Martin, but Mosley welcomed starter Emily Barnett back with a bases-clearing triple pulled the Gamecocks to within one.
Barnett was able to get out of the jam when Bobbitt lined out to third to end the game and JSU's threat.
Taylor DeCelles (3-8) earned the win after tossing four scoreless innings of relief work, while Barnett notched her fourth save of the season with 2 and 2/3 innings of work. She allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits.
Nicole Rodriguez (5-5) suffered the loss for JSU, allowing five runs, two earned, on five hits in four innings. She struck out eight before making way for
Reagan Watkins to throw the final three frames. She surrendered two runs on four hits and struck out five.
The Gamecocks will be at home this weekend for a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series against Eastern Illinois that will start with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday at University Field. The weekend will wrap up on Sunday with a 12 p.m. single game. All games will be streamed on ESPN+.
